French National Rally (Rassemblement National) leader Marine Le Pen has been banned from running for public office for five years – and sentenced to four years in prison. Le Pen, who left the courtroom before the verdict was read, was found guilty of embezzlement.
Two of the four years of the sentence are suspended – it is unclear whether she will serve any prison time. The ban dashes her hopes of running in the 2027 presidential election.
The far-right leader and 24 other officials from her National Rally party are accused of diverting more than €3 million in European Parliament funds to pay staff based in France between 2004 and 2016.
The judge also handed down convictions for eight other current or former members of Le Pen’s party who, like her, were former MEPs. Sitting in the front row of the Paris courtroom, Le Pen showed no reaction as the judge read the verdict.
Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis said: “It was established that all these individuals were actually working for the party without being assigned any tasks by the representative (in the EU Parliament). The investigation also established that this was not an administrative error… but embezzlement as part of a system designed to reduce the party’s costs.”
Le Pen has denied accusations that she was at the head of a system aimed at extracting EU funds in favor of her party. The defendants denied any guilt and claimed that the funds were used legitimately.
The trial lasted nine weeks at the end of last year. Le Pen (56) has been a candidate for the presidency three times, and previously stated that the 2027 elections will be her last attempt to win the highest office.
Photo: Politico
