Marine Le Pen. Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images
The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been banned from holding public office for five years,a court decision that has already been dubbed a “political reprisal” and has caused a wave of outcry both in France and abroad. The court found Le Pen guilty of embezzling public funds, namely, using the European Parliament’s money to pay salaries to party workers in France. This was reported by France24.
She was also sentenced to four years in prison, two of which were suspended and the remainder under electronic surveillance. Although this is only the first instance, the five-year political disqualification came into force immediately, putting an end to her possible participation in the 2027 presidential election.
“Our struggle is like Martin Luther King’s”
Matteo Salvini’s video address to the Italian right-wing League party became a platform for Le Pen’s emotional reaction:
“Our struggle will be peaceful and democratic. We take our cue from Martin Luther King, who defended civil rights. Because it is the civil rights of the French that are currently under threat,” said the leader of the Rassemblement National (RN).
The party has already promised to launch a campaign of legal appeals and peaceful protests, accusing the court of “political bias”.
A wave of international support
Viktor Orban, Matteo Salvini, Donald Trump, Dmitry Medvedev – all these names have already appeared among Le Pen’s open supporters who condemn the actions of the French justice system.
“This is a very serious matter,” Trump said, comparing Le Pen’s situation to his own trials in the US.
Mass protests and demonstrations
On Sunday, in front of the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, the Rassemblement National convened a large rally in support of Le Pen. Her associates have already stated that they do not recognise the verdict as legitimate and are preparing to fight “on all legal fronts”.
“We will never back down. This is an attack on the very essence of democracy. We will not allow it to be destroyed by the hands of the court,” Le Pen said.
The bottom line: the European Parliament’s money goes to party salaries
According to the verdict, Le Pen and several of her associates illegally used European Parliament funds by paying salaries to party staff in France, rather than to MEPs’ assistants, as required by law. The total amount of damage is estimated at hundreds of thousands of euros.
