French far-right party denies irregularities in employment of parliamentary assistants

French far-right politician Marine Le Pen will stand trial alongside 27 others over alleged misuse of EU funds, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Friday, charges that Le Pen’s party said it contested.

Twenty-eight defendants will be brought to court, including Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie, the office said, confirming French media reports.

An initial pre-trial hearing scheduled for 27 March next year will be followed by a more in-depth hearing during October and November.

The investigation, opened in 2016, aimed to ascertain whether the then National Front had used money destined for EU parliamentary assistants to pay staff who were working for the party.

EU lawmakers are allocated funds to cover expenses, including their assistants, but are not meant to use them for party expenses.

“We formally contest the accusations made against our MEPs and parliamentary assistants,” Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (RN) party said in a statement.

The party added Marine Le Pen had committed no offence and that there were no irregularities in the employment of her parliamentary assistants, under both the European parliament regulations and the French law.

At the head of RN until 2021, Marine Le Pen ran against Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, and could again present her candidacy in 2027.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/08/marine-and-jean-marie-le-pen-trial-alleged-eu-funds-misuse