Marine Le Pen, the long-standing leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN) party, will face trial in a Paris criminal court on Monday alongside 26 others and the RN itself over alleged misuse of European Union funds.
This trial, which comes nearly a decade after initial investigations began, could potentially bar Le Pen from holding public office for up to 10 years, a consequence she vehemently denies.
Le Pen, who has consistently worked to refine her party's image, was defeated by Emmanuel Macron in the second round of France's presidential elections in both 2017 and 2022. She is widely considered a leading contender for the 2027 presidential race.
Party officials, former lawmakers, and parliamentary assistants are accused of diverting money intended for EU parliamentary work to pay staff who were actually working for the RN, which was previously known as the National Front.
The European Parliament's lawyer estimates the financial damage at 3.5 million euros ($3.92 million). EU lawmakers receive funds to cover expenses, including assistants, but are prohibited from using these funds to support party activities.
Many European political parties, particularly smaller ones with less national funding, have used EU money to hire promising talent as aides to EU lawmakers. Jordan Bardella, the current RN party head and a member of the European Parliament, once held such an assistant role but is not part of this trial.
Le Pen's party, which aligns with the main group of eurosceptic and nationalist parties in the European Parliament and advocates for 'France first' policies on immigration, energy markets, and agriculture, denies the charges.
Marine Le Pen faces charges both as a party leader and as an EU lawmaker, accused of hiring fictitious assistants. Prosecutors allege that Thierry Legier, another defendant, worked as a bodyguard for Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, while being paid as a parliamentary assistant between 2005 and 2012.
Laurent Jacobelli, an RN lawmaker and party spokesman, stated last week that Marine Le Pen, now a member of the French parliament, is not concerned about the trial. 'She understands that the accusations against us stem from a different interpretation of the assistant role, compared to the European Parliament's view,' he said.
If found guilty, Le Pen and other defendants could face up to 10 years in prison and a one million euro ($1.12 million) fine. Elected officials at the time of the alleged offenses, like Le Pen, could be barred from public office for up to 10 years, while non-elected officials could face a five-year ban.
The Paris public prosecutor's office initiated an investigation in 2016, prompted by a report from the European Parliament president to the French justice minister, followed by a police investigation. Investigators examined the situation of 49 RN parliamentary assistants across three European Parliament terms. They charged 11 RN members of the EU assembly, including Marine Le Pen and her father, for misappropriation of EU funds, and charged 13 parliamentary assistants with receiving the funds.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, aged 96, will not attend the trial due to health reasons. The trial is scheduled to conclude on November 27.
The RN is also under a preliminary investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office, launched in July, into alleged illegal financing of its 2022 presidential campaign.
