5 years in prison and for the same number of years, away from high state positions as well as a 300,000 euro fine. This is the punishment that the Paris Prosecutor’s Office is seeking for the symbol of French nationalists, Marine Le Pen. If the Court accepts it, the 56-year-old French politician will not be able to run for president in the 2027 elections.
Le Pen and 24 other political associates of hers, officials of the “National Gathering” party, employees, her former deputies or assistants in the parliament are accused of having illegally used the funds of the European Parliament to pay the staff of their party in France, at the time when this political grouping was called the “National Front” before 2018.
The damage that this alleged robbery has caused to the European Parliament amounts to 3.5 million euros. However, Le Pen and her people consider this a “political war”, calling the accusations false. The trial will last until November 27.