Le Pen Faced Conviction for Libeling a Charity Organization
Extreme-right French politician Marine Le Pen has been found guilty once more in an appeals trial for slander against a refugee assistance group. In a 2022 television broadcast interview, Le Pen overstepped the boundaries of free speech, according to the Parisian appeals court. Le Pen alleged that the aid organization was orchestrating illicit immigration from the Comoros to the French territory of Mayotte.
During the broadcast, Le Pen asserted that refugee aid organizations occasionally collaborate with human traffickers. She argued for a reduction in the monetary support provided to these organizations.
The appeals court upheld the 500 euro fine, imposed with the condition of probation.
As the present head of the National Rally (RN) party, Le Pen has expressed her intention to vie for president for the fourth time in 2027. However, she is set to face a far more substantial trial on September 30, where she and 26 other co-defendants are implicated in allegations of misusing EU funds by illegally employing parliamentary assistants of EU MEPs for party purposes.**
Le Pen's party finished third in the preliminary parliamentary elections in July. Nonetheless, the party has gained political significance as the newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier relies on the RN to refrain from supporting the desposed left's announced vote of no confidence.
Le Pen's criticism of refugee aid organizations extends beyond allegations of illicit immigration, as she also suggests that some organizations may collude with human traffickers. Furthermore, other political parties might view her party's support as crucial in maintaining political balance, considering its third-place finish in the preliminary elections.
