Marine Le Pen and her father on trial Suspected embezzlement of EU funds

The affair surrounding the possible bogus employment of assistants in the EU Parliament has plagued France's right-wing nationalists for years. Now Marine Le Pen and other defendants are on trial in Paris.

Marine Le Pen and other French right-wing nationalists will have to answer to a Paris criminal court from today, Monday, in the affair concerning the possible fictitious employment of staff in the European Parliament. The 28 defendants are accused of embezzling public funds. In addition to long-time party leader Marine Le Pen, her father and party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen is also among the accused. Marine Le Pen has always denied the accusations.

The allegations relate to the years 2004 to 2016 and are directed against the Rassemblement National party (formerly: Front National), former MPs and assistants. It concerns the possible fictitious employment of assistants to several French MEPs. The central allegation is that Le Pen's party received money from the European Parliament for parliamentary assistants who were actually working for the party.

Seven million euros are at stake

A total of almost seven million euros is said to be involved. Marine Le Pen had already paid back 330,000 euros from the European Parliament a year ago. However, her party always emphasizes that this is not an admission of wrongdoing.

The affair has burdened Le Pen and her party for years. If found guilty, the defendants could face heavy fines and prison sentences of up to ten years. If convicted, the defendants could also be declared ineligible for five years, which could put the brakes on Marine Le Pen's candidacy in the 2027 presidential election.

Rassemblement National stronger than ever

The legal investigation into the allegations comes at a time when the Rassemblement National is stronger than ever. The right-wing nationalists, who were already seen as potential winners in the early parliamentary elections in June, only ended up in third place. However, as the party is strongly represented in parliament, it can exert a great deal of influence on the newly formed center-right government of conservative Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

The fact that Le Pen and other party leaders now have to sit in the dock works against the party's efforts to normalize. Le Pen had not only given the party a new name, but also distanced herself from overly radical positions in order to make the previously clearly right-wing extremist party electable right up to the middle class. In parliamentary work, the right-wing nationalists have recently - unlike the Left Party - endeavored to work constructively and cautiously in opposition.

The process is scheduled to run until the end of November. The party is preparing for a long legal battle, as reported by the newspaper "Le Monde". The challenge for the party is to coordinate the court and election calendars. In the environment of the declared presidential candidate Le Pen, a decision in a possible appeal procedure at the end of 2026, i.e. six months before the presidential election, and a cassation procedure in 2028 are already being considered, the newspaper wrote.

SDA