French Prosecutors Seek to Disqualify Marine Le Pen for Five Years

French prosecutors have requested a five-year prison sentence (three of which are suspended) and disqualification for the same period for Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-right. This comes a month and a half after the trial began for Le Pen and over twenty members of the National Rally (RN) for an alleged scheme of fictitious jobs in the European Parliament. The far-right leader faces this potential punishment, in addition to a €300,000 fine.

The Public Prosecutor's Office has requested this sentence in the Paris Court for the crimes of "embezzlement of public funds" and "complicity." The other defendants—up to 26, although Jean-Marie Le Pen (founder of the party) and another leader are not present due to health reasons—also face prison sentences and disqualification ranging from three years to six months. Additionally, the prosecutor's request includes fines ranging from €200,000 to €10,000. This is a harsher punishment than that suffered earlier this year by leaders of the centrist MoDem party in a similar case, but on a smaller scale.

The verdict in Le Pen's trial will not be known until early 2025. If the verdict is guilty, the Court must automatically pronounce a disqualification sentence of at least five years, unless a special decision is made by the court. This is determined by an anti-corruption law passed in 2016 that applies to this case.

Specifically, the judiciary accuses RN leaders of using their assistants in the European Parliament to work for the party instead of performing parliamentary duties. This scheme lasted from 2004 to 2016. Initially, the European Parliament estimated the impact of this system at €7 million, but later reduced it to €4.5 million. A portion of these funds has already been returned by this nationalist and xenophobic party.

"They created a war machine to divert every last crumb," the prosecution stated about a mode of operation that intensified from 2014. After winning the European elections in France that year, the National Front (renamed in 2018) had more than 20 MEPs and saw a source of resources in the €21,000 monthly allowance that the European Parliament provides for each of its representatives.

At that time, "the party was in a particularly delicate financial situation. And it systematically used everything that could serve to reduce its expenses," whether "legal or not," explained prosecutor Louise Neyton.

Representatives of the Public Prosecutor's Office detailed the alleged crimes committed by nine former MEPs, twelve assistants, accounting experts, and the then-treasurer of the party. They spoke, for example, of the case of Thierry Léger, the historic bodyguard of Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was hired as an assistant to Fernand Le Rachinel, another European representative between 2005 and 2009.

"He only went to Brussels when Jean-Marie Le Pen was there and did not go if Le Pen was not," said the prosecutor. "It is a fictitious job. Not because he did not work, but because those tasks were not financed by the person who benefited from them," he explained.

"Despite Wallerand de Saint-Just (treasurer) having a key role, everything depended on Mrs. Le Pen," the prosecutors stated, describing this embezzlement of public funds as "unprecedented" for "its amount" and "its duration." The RN leader, present at the hearing, shook her head several times and laughed at this type of accusation. Although she was confident about the verdict at the start of the process, she now seems increasingly resigned to a possible conviction. She has accused the judges several times of "subjecting them to a presumption of guilt."

"I hope the Court will not consider this sentencing request" because "they have not provided any evidence except for some emails and text messages. (...) The only thing that interests the prosecution is to end my political career," Le Pen declared at the end of a long session. If the judges follow the prosecutor's request, her future could be in jeopardy, including her candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections, scheduled for 2027.