Court: Far-right party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen not fit to stand trial
The father of Marine Le Pen, who took over the party leadership from him in April, has been under legal guardianship of his daughters since then. Marine Le Pen and her sisters can act on behalf of their father in certain matters.
The father, daughter, and 25 other defendants are accused of embezzling EU funds. The trial at the Paris Criminal Court is scheduled from September 30 to November 27. Marine Le Pen, who has run for presidency three times and intends to do so again in 2027, risks losing her eligibility.
Most of the defendants are EU parliamentarians or their assistants. They are charged with embezzling EU funds between 2004 and 2016, as the assistants of EU parliamentarians were actually working for the right-wing populist party in reality. Marine Le Pen denies the allegations.
According to family statements, the health condition of the party founder deteriorated significantly after a heart attack last year.
Jean-Marie Le Pen founded the extreme right-wing FN with a former member of the Waffen-SS in 1972 and ran for presidency five times. He made it to the runoff against Jacques Chirac in 2002, leading to the formation of a "republican front" where left and right-wing politicians united against the National Front.
His daughter took over the party leadership in 2011, expelled her father, and gave the party a less radical image. She also worked on rooting the party in areas that performed better in each election. Eventually, she renamed the party from Front National to Rassemblement National (RN).
Since the first round of the parliamentary election last Sunday, the party has been closer to power than ever before. If it manages to secure an absolute majority in the decisive round on the upcoming Sunday, it would have a chance to form the first right-wing government in France.
- Marine Le Pen, the daughter of Right-wing extremist Jean-Marie Le Pen, is currently facing the risk of losing her presidential election eligibility due to the ongoing trial at the Paris Criminal Court.
- Jean-Marie Le Pen, the Party founder and former leader of the FN, founded the extreme right-wing party in 1972 with a former member of the Waffen-SS.
- The father-daughter duo, along with 25 other defendants, is accused of embezzling EU funds, a charge that Marine Le Pen denies.
- The Court has placed Jean-Marie Le Pen under legal guardianship of his daughters since his health deteriorated significantly after a heart attack last year.
- Marine Le Pen took over the party leadership from her father in 2011, expelled him, and gave the Front National a less radical image, later renaming it to Rassemblement National (RN).
- In the recent parliamentary election, Le Pen's RN party has come closer to power than ever before, with a potential to form the first right-wing government in France if they secure an absolute majority in the decisive round.
