French Far-Right Leader Le Pen on Trial for Alleged Misuse of EU Funds

By Juliette Jabkhiro

PARIS (Reuters) – Marine Le Pen, a prominent leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party, faced trial on Monday, charged with misappropriating European Union funds. Le Pen expressed confidence in her defense, asserting her innocence of any wrongdoing.

Le Pen, along with the RN and 24 other individuals—including party officials, employees, former lawmakers, and parliamentary assistants—is accused of improperly utilizing funds intended for European Parliament work to finance party staff when it was still known as the National Front.

Le Pen and the co-defendants maintain that their use of the funds was legitimate and argue that the allegations stem from a narrow interpretation of the role of parliamentary assistants.

"I approach this trial with great peace of mind," Le Pen told reporters upon her arrival at the Paris criminal tribunal.

The trial poses potential risks for Le Pen; a guilty verdict could lead to a ban from public office for several years, an accusation she firmly denies. Conversely, a favorable outcome could enhance her and her party’s image in the lead-up to the 2027 presidential election, nearly a decade after the initial investigations began.

Analysts from Eurointelligence noted that similar situations have previously strengthened political figures, pointing to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s experience with legal challenges.

Le Pen, who lost to Emmanuel Macron in both the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, is regarded as a leading contender for the 2027 election.

The European Parliament has estimated the financial impact of the allegations at 3.5 million euros. While EU lawmakers receive funds for various expenses, including assistant salaries, these funds are not meant to finance party activities.

Le Pen and her party advocate for "France first" policies on issues like immigration, energy markets, and agriculture, and they reject the current allegations as unfounded. RN spokesman Laurent Jacobelli emphasized that the dispute stems from differing interpretations of the assistant role between French and European contexts.

Marine Le Pen faces charges related not only to her role as party leader but also as an EU lawmaker, with allegations of hiring fictitious assistants during her tenure. If convicted, she and the other defendants could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of one million euros. Elected officials could also be barred from public office for up to 10 years, while non-elected individuals could face restrictions for up to five years.

Notably, Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96, is among the accused; however, he and one other defendant were deemed unfit for trial for health reasons and will face a separate hearing at a later date.

The trial is set to continue until November 27.