On September 30, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right party "National Union" and a candidate for the presidency of France, appeared before a court in Paris on charges of improper use of European Parliament funds.
Points of attention
- Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right party National Union, is on trial in France for fraudulent use of European Parliament funds, along with over 20 high-ranking party officials.
- The prosecution demands compensation of over 3 million euros and a possible deprivation of Le Pen's right to run for office for 10 years.
- If found guilty, Le Pen faces fines, prison terms, and disqualification from running for office, though she denies her guilt and states it is possible to be an assistant to a European parliamentarian and participate in party activities.
- The trial exposes a fictitious employment scheme involving one aide acting as a bodyguard for Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the National Union.
- The trial, which is expected to last about two months, sheds light on the alleged improper hiring practices within the 'National Union' party and their potential consequences.
The trial of the odious Marine Le Pen began in Paris
Along with Le Pen, more than 20 high-ranking party officials were in the dock, accused of hiring aides who worked for party, not parliamentary, purposes.
If found guilty, Le Pen faces fines and prison terms, as well as a potential disqualification from running for office for up to 10 years. At the same time, the politician denies her guilt.
We are going to prove that it is possible to be an assistant to a European parliamentarian and participate in the life of the RN, — said the party's spokesman Laurent Iacobelli.
Le Pen's father, 96-year-old Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the National Union, also appeared before the court, but due to his deteriorating health, he will not appear at the hearings.
According to the publication, the fictitious employment scheme was exposed in 2015. The investigation covered the contracts of assistants of the European Parliament for the period 2004-2016. Prosecutors say one of the hired aides actually acted as a bodyguard for Le Pen and her father.
Prosecutors demand compensation of more than 3 million euros. The "National Association" has already paid 1 million euros, but denies that this is an admission of guilt.
The trial is expected to last about two months.
Le Pen admitted that she was thinking about the Russian-Ukrainian war
The French politician made a loud statement about this during a debate in the parliament.
Marine Le Pen drew attention to the fact that with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russia "unleashed a war on the doorstep of the EU and the most dramatic geopolitical crisis in the last 20 years."
She also urged France and the international community not to forget the hundreds of thousands of victims of this war.
We owe our respect and support to the Ukrainian nation that suffered aggression... It is thanks to the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people that Russia was defeated.
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