Radical-right Le Pen guilty of embezzlement European money

The radical-right French politician Marine Le Pen was found guilty of darkening European money in Paris on Monday. The punishment has not yet been announced. Eight (former) MEPs of Le Pens Party Rassemblement National (RN) have also been found guilty.

Le Pen was on trial with twenty-four (former) party members. Between 2004 and 2016, its party – still called Front National (FN) – paid its employees with money that was intended for assistants from European Parliamentarians, while they had little or no work that belongs to that position. Among others, the bodyguard of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the deceased father of Le Pen and founder of the party, and the personal secretary of Marine Le Pen were paid with money from Brussels.

Politically, a lot depends on the penalty provision. The Public Prosecution Service demanded in November A prison sentence of five years, three of which are conditional, a fine of 300,000 euros and a five -year ban to be eligible for election. The OM wants the prohibition to start immediately, even if Le Pen appeals. That would mean that Le Pen could not be a presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

Fellow party members

Prior to the pronunciation, Le Pen said he was not worried because she thinks she did nothing wrong. According to her, it is logical that party employees took both European and national work in itself and there was no system – nor would it have given an instruction before setting up.

In the past few days, several party members said to be so convinced of her innocence that they were not even prepared for a scenario in which Le Pen would not be a presidential candidate in 2027. According to them, there is a political process.

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