World
Marine Le Pen barred from running for office after being found guilty in embezzlement case
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been barred from running for public office for five years – derailing her bid to run in the next presidential election.
The National Rally leader, who left court before the verdict was read out, was found guilty in an embezzlement case.
She was also given a four-year jail sentence, with two years suspended. She is not expected to serve any jail time.
Le Pen, 56, who also received a €100,000 (£83,635) fine, is a three-time presidential contender who had said the next election in 2027 would be her final run for top office.
The ban, which comes into force immediately, ends those hopes unless she successfully appeals before the campaign.
Le Pen and 24 other National Rally officials were accused of diverting more than €3m (£2.51m) of European Parliament funds to pay France-based staff working for her party between 2004 and 2016.
The judge also handed down guilty verdicts to eight other current or former members of Le Pen’s party who, like her, previously served as MEPs in the European Parliament.
Another 12 people who served as parliamentary aides for Le Pen and what is now the National Rally party, formerly the National Front, were also handed guilty verdicts.
The ruling described the embezzlement as “a democratic bypass” that deceived the parliament and voters.
Pic: Reuters
Sitting in the front row in the court in Paris, Le Pen showed no immediate reaction as the chief judge read the verdict.
Judge Benedicte de Perthuis ruled: “It was established that all these people were actually working for the party, that their (EU) lawmaker had not given them any tasks.
“The investigations also showed that these were not administrative errors … but embezzlement within the framework of a system put in place to reduce the party’s costs.”
Le Pen leaves the court before being driven away. Pic: Reuters
Le Pen left the court before the completion of the verdict and sentencing and did not address the media outside before being driven away in a car.
She had denied accusations she was at the head of “a system” meant to siphon off EU funds to benefit her party.
Hearings revealed how some EU money was used to pay for Le Pen’s bodyguard – who was once her father’s bodyguard – as well as for her personal assistant.
The defendants denied any wrongdoing and claimed the money was used legitimately.
The nine-week trial took place at the end of last year.
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