Marine Le Pen in a Paris court. Photo: BBC.
The Paris prosecutor’s office is demanding severe punishment for Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, over charges of embezzling European Union funds. In a trial that has been going on for almost a decade, prosecutors are demanding a five-year prison sentence and a five-year ban on Le Pen from holding any public office. This serious criminal charge could be an irreparable blow to her political career and undermine the party’s image ahead of the 2027 elections, in which Le Pen is seen as one of the main contenders. This was reported by TimeUkraineIsrael with reference to The Guardian.
The trial and its consequences for Le Pen’s political career
This case has become an important event for the political landscape of France. Marine Le Pen, her party and 24 other people, including party officials and parliamentary assistants, are accused of using EU funds to pay staff who were actually working for the political party rather than in their official duties in the European Parliament. The scheme concerned contracts from 2004 to 2016, when employees in genuinely paid positions were supposed to perform work related to the activities of the National Front party, the former name of the current National Union.
If found guilty, Le Pen faces a fine of €300,000 and a five-year ban from holding any public office. If convicted, Le Pen will not be able to run in the 2027 presidential election, even if she appeals. Given the importance of the next election, the court’s decision could dramatically change the party’s political prospects for the coming years.
The long struggle for a political name
In response to the accusations, Le Pen said she did not feel that she had violated the law and assured that she had not intended to harm the EU’s financial resources. She noted that all decisions on the selection of her aides and their duties were made on the basis of legal procedures, although she was unable to give a clear answer to some questions in court about the details of these processes.
According to the prosecutor’s office, this fictitious job creation scheme resulted in losses of €3 million for the European Parliament. Although the National Union has returned some of the funds – €1 million – the party claims that this is not an admission of guilt.
Impact on the 2027 elections
The trial and the demands of the prosecutor’s office could have significant consequences for Le Pen and her party in the pre-election period. “The National Rally, which enjoyed considerable success in the European Parliament elections, now faces serious challenges in its efforts to improve its image ahead of the 2027 elections. The party has ambitions to win the support of the broad masses of the French population, but this trial may prompt voters to reconsider their attitude towards the party leader.
As prosecutor Nicolas Barre noted during the hearing, “the law applies to everyone”, meaning that even high-profile politicians such as Le Pen are not exempt when it comes to abuse of office. If the court accepts the prosecutor’s claims, it will send an important signal to all those who misuse the finances of the European Parliament.
The trial will last until 27 November 2024, after which the judges will take a break to reach a decision. The verdict is expected to be announced in early 2025. For Le Pen and her party, this could become not only a legal but also a political verdict that will change the course of the upcoming elections.
