Right-wing French political figure Le Pen maintains her innocence during trial proceedings.
Far-right politician Marine Le Pen, hailing from the National Rally (previously known as Rassemblement National), has declared her innocence in her initial court appearance over allegations of misusing EU funds. She expressed, "I can't for the life of me feel like I've done something wrong at all," in front of the Paris criminal court. This trial involves Marine Le Pen and various high-ranking figures from her party's past leadership, centered around the accusation of 'ghost employment' of aids in the European Parliament.
Le Pen could potentially face a ten-year prison sentence and be barred from participating in elections if found guilty. The consequences of this trial also jeopardize her potential run in the 2027 presidential election.
Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen (96 years old), was also implicated but was considered unfit to stand trial. The European Parliament, acting as a civil plaintiff in the case, approximates the loss at around three million euros. The party has repaid one million euros but mantains it does not equate to an acceptance of culpability.
The investigation was initiated by the former German president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, in 2015. After extensive investigation, nine former MEPs, twelve of their ex-assistants, and other party staff members now stand trial. It's suggested that these aids were working not for their MEPs but for the party or even Marine Le Pen herself.
A few individuals from the centrist party received suspended sentences in a related case back in February.
Marine Le Pen's potential legal issues extend beyond France, as the European Parliament is also involved in the case due to the allegations of misuse of EU funds. Despite facing severe consequences if found guilty, such as a ten-year prison sentence and election ban, Le Pen's party, formerly known as Rassemblement National, has repaid one million euros but maintains it does not acknowledge culpability fully.
