Marine Le Pen, the long-time leader of France’s far-right National Rally and a potential presidential candidate, is set to face trial in Paris on Monday, accused of misusing European parliamentary funds.
Le Pen, along with more than 20 senior party figures, is charged with hiring parliamentary assistants who allegedly worked for the party rather than the European Parliament, which paid their salaries.
If found guilty, Le Pen could face fines, imprisonment, and possibly be declared ineligible to run for office for up to 10 years, which could severely impact her 2027 presidential ambitions.
Le Pen has denied any wrongdoing, and party spokesman Laurent Jacobelli insisted, “we will prove there was no scheme to embezzle EU funds.” He also defended the practice of parliamentary assistants being involved in National Rally (RN) affairs.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine’s father and founder of the National Front, now the RN, also faces charges but will not attend the trial due to health reasons.
The case centers on allegations of fake jobs, first flagged in 2015, covering contracts for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016. Prosecutors claim that some assistants were employed for party work, including one individual allegedly hired as a bodyguard for Le Pen and her father.
Prosecutors are seeking to recover more than €3 million, with the RN already repaying €1 million, though it denies this as an admission of guilt. The trial is expected to last nearly two months.
Le Pen, who stepped down as party president in 2017, has run for president in 2017 and 2022 and is positioning herself for a possible 2027 bid. Her party is known for its hardline stance on immigration, law and order, and tax cuts.
This trial follows the recent appointment of a right-wing government by President Emmanuel Macron after legislative elections in June and July, where the far-right underperformed compared to expectations.
