Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Marrakech – French prosecutors have opened an investigation into alleged illegal campaign financing by far-right leader Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party, according to judicial sources in Paris.
The probe comes on the heels of a shocking election defeat for Le Pen’s party at the hands of a tactical left-wing coalition.
The criminal inquiry is tied to Le Pen’s failed presidential bid in 2022, with one source stating, “A judicial investigation was opened after a report to the courts from the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing.”
The investigation is believed to be related to allegations that the National Rally (RN) misappropriated taxpayer funds from the European Parliament, as reported by The Irish Sun.
Le Pen, 55, is no stranger to legal troubles. She is already facing the possibility of up to 10 years in prison and a ban on holding elected office if found guilty in an embezzlement trial set to begin in Paris this September.
Sources suggest there is strong evidence that Le Pen illegally accessed approximately €620,000 on behalf of her party, as further reported by the Irish news outlet.
The embezzlement investigation began in March 2015, when the European Parliament referred possible irregularities to the EU anti-fraud office. The main focus was on salaries paid to parliamentary assistants and even Le Pen’s bodyguard.
Daily Mail reports that Le Pen is accused of personally diverting around €137,000 of EU funds into party coffers during her time as an MEP between 2004 and 2017, effectively using EU money for the party’s business in Paris rather than for work in Brussels.
Le Pen’s legal woes come amidst a tumultuous election season in France. Initially, her National Rally party appeared poised for victory after a strong showing in the first round of voting on June 30.
However, in a surprise twist, the newly-formed left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front (NFP), secured the most seats in parliament in the second round on July 7.
The NFP’s success was attributed to tactical voting and candidate withdrawals in certain areas to maximize the chances of defeating Le Pen’s far-right candidates.
The result was a hung parliament, with no party securing the 289 seats needed for an outright majority, setting the stage for potential political paralysis in the coming years.
The election outcome sparked both celebration and unrest across France. The Irish Sun reported that left-wing protesters took to the streets, with some allegedly attacking police, while tens of thousands of riot police were deployed to maintain order.
As the fraud investigation unfolds, Le Pen’s political future hangs in the balance. If convicted in the upcoming embezzlement trial, she could be barred from running in the 2027 presidential election, despite her ambitions to become France’s future president.
The case also involves 12 other members of the RN, previously known as the National Front, as well as Le Pen’s father, 95-year-old party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was deemed unfit to stand trial due to his age.
Read also: Marine Le Pen Refuses Police Questioning
