Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, has started her trial on embezzlement charges. She is accused of misusing EU funds and faces severe penalties if found guilty.
Prosecutors claim Le Pen and others in her party participated in a fake jobs scheme to pay lower-level employees with European funds instead of party money. The investigation revealed that these employees were given false titles to justify their payments.
RN denounces ‘persecution’
The National Rally party has criticized the investigation as a form of persecution. Party spokesman Laurent Jacobelli downplayed the charges, attributing them to a misunderstanding between French and EU definitions of assistant roles.
‘Assistants’ confusion
The investigation found that Le Pen’s assistants struggled to describe their duties. Some even requested meetings with MEPs they allegedly worked for months after their supposed employment began.
This trial jeopardizes Le Pen’s efforts to mainstream her party’s image, as the RN also faces a separate trial for allegedly illegally financing her 2022 presidential campaign.
Overall, Le Pen’s trial marks a critical moment in French politics and could impact the future of the far-right movement in the country.
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