EU funds misappropriated?

Le Pen and 27 other defendants on trial

Although Marine Le Pen has already repaid 300,000 euros to the EU Parliament, this is by no means an admission of guilt.(Bild: APA/AFP/Denis Charlet)

Did France's right-wing nationalists embezzle EU funds? A total of 28 defendants from the ranks of the Rassemblement National (formerly Front National) - including long-time party leader Marine Le Pen and her father and party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen - must now stand trial.

The allegations relate to the years 2004 to 2016 and are directed against the party, former MPs and assistants. It concerns the possible fictitious employment of assistants to several French MEPs. The central allegation is that Le Pen's party received money from the European Parliament for parliamentary assistants who were actually working for the party.

The allegations relate to the years 2004 to 2016, when Marine Le Pen was a member of the European Parliament.(Bild: APA/AFP/FREDERICK FLORIN)

Le Pen rejects the allegations
In total, a sum of almost seven million euros is said to be at stake. Even before the start of the trial, Marine Le Pen rejected the allegations. "We have not violated any political rule or any rule of the European Parliament," said the long-time party leader when she arrived in court. And when the indictment was read out, she emphasized: "I will answer all the questions I am asked." A year ago, the politician had already transferred 330,000 euros that had been reclaimed from the European Parliament. However, her party always emphasizes that this is not an admission of wrongdoing. 

Le Pen's presidential candidacy in jeopardy
The affair has been weighing on Le Pen and her party for years. If guilty verdicts are reached, the defendants could face heavy fines and prison sentences of up to ten years. If convicted, the defendants could also be declared ineligible for five years, which could put the brakes on Marine Le Pen's candidacy in the 2027 presidential election.

Although Marine Le Pen has already repaid 300,000 euros to the EU Parliament, this is by no means an admission of guilt.(Bild: APA/AFP/Denis Charlet)

Current party leader not affected
Party leader Jordan Bardella, who was also an assistant to an MEP at the beginning of his career, is not affected by this process. However, the newspaper "Libération" recently reported that Bardella bought a three-year-old calendar in 2018 in order to retroactively enter EU parliamentary appointments in it. Bardella denies this, but it does not seem impossible that this case will also have legal consequences.