French far-right politician Le Pen accused of embezzling EU funds

The Paris prosecutor’s office called for French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and her party to stand trial for the alleged misuse of EU funds.

The prosecutor’s office said they are requesting a trial for the right-wing National Rally party and 27 people, including Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, for allegedly misappropriating EU public funds between 2004 and 2016, POLITICO reports citing French local media.

“We challenge this view, which we believe to be erroneous, of the work of opposition MPs and their assistants, which is above all political,” Le Pen told several media outlets on Friday. “We will present our arguments before the court on the merits.”

The request for trial marks the latest development in a seven-year investigation into allegations that the National Rally used public funds, which were meant for EU parliamentary assistants, to pay party staff. Judges will make a decision on whether or not to accept the prosecutor’s petition for trial.

Among the people listed by the prosecutor’s office are former MEP Bruno Gollnisch and the party’s vice president and mayor of Perpignan, Louis Aliot.

According to the prosecutor’s office, those involved face 10 years in prison, a €1 million fine, and ineligibility to hold public office for five or 10 years, depending on whether they are an elected official.