Paris prosecutors recently requested a trial for the National Rally and 27 people linked to the party, including Marine Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. They are suspected of having participated in a system of embezzlement of European public funds over a period from 2004 to 2016.
This affair, which dates back several years, concerns the financing of European parliamentary assistants. Investigators suspect the National Rally of having set up a fraudulent mechanism which made it possible to pay parliamentary assistants who actually worked for the party.
Among the people targeted by the Paris prosecutor’s office, we find emblematic figures of the National Rally such as Marine Le Pen, Louis Aliot, Bruno Gollnisch and Nicolas Bay. These political figures are susceptible to complicity and concealment of embezzlement of public funds.
If a trial were to take place, the penalties incurred are significant: up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to one million euros, or even double the amount embezzled. In addition, an additional penalty of deprivation of the right to stand for election, of up to ten years, could be applied.
This case, which has been under investigation since 2015, raises questions about the use of European public funds and the integrity of political parties. If it leads to a trial, this could have significant consequences on the National Rally and its image among voters.
It is important to emphasize that Marine Le Pen has always denied the accusations and contested any wrongdoing in this matter. However, the Paris prosecutor’s office believes that there is sufficient evidence to request a trial.
This case once again shows the issues linked to the financing of political parties and highlights the need for increased transparency in this area. Voters have the right to know how their money is used by political parties and to demand accountability if there are suspicions of misuse of public funds.
While waiting for this case to unfold, it remains to be seen whether a trial will take place and what the consequences will be for the National Rally and its members. The case also highlights the importance of ethics and integrity in political life, in order to preserve citizens’ trust in their representatives. Increased transparency and strengthened control mechanisms are necessary to avoid such scandals in the future.