On Wednesday, a Paris prosecutor called for a five-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from public office against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, at a trial where she and 24 others are charged with embezzling European Union funds.
The trial, which is coming almost a decade after initial investigations began, is threatening to sabotage her party’s efforts to polish its image ahead of a 2027 presidential vote that many believe she can win.
On Wednesday, the Paris prosecutor requested a 300,000-euro ($316,860) fine, five years in prison and an ineligibility sentence against the far-right politician, with provisional execution. If the court finds her guilty of the charges with this provisional execution, Le Pen will become unable to run in elections even if she appeals the judgment.
Le Pen, the RN party itself, and 24 others – party officials, employees, former lawmakers and parliamentary assistants – are all accused of stealing the European Parliament money to pay staff in France who were employed for their party, which at the time was called the National Front.
Patrick Maisonneuve, the European Parliament’s lawyer had said;
“I am not surprised by the prosecution’s request for provisional execution. There is a consistency in the prosecution’s demands.”
The trial will last until November 27.
