France’s Marine Le Pen questioned in court at EU embezzlement trial
Al Jazeera
Marine Le Pen and her RN party have been accused of using European Parliament money to pay staff in France between 2004 and 2016.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has strongly denied committing any wrongdoing at a Paris court as she and her National Rally (RN) party stand trial over the suspected embezzlement of European Parliament funds.
The nine-week trial is a critical juncture for Le Pen, expected to be a strong contender in France’s next presidential election in 2027. A guilty verdict could significantly affect her political career and aspirations.
Le Pen, 56, took to the stand on Monday in the first of three expected days of testimony in the trial, which comes almost a decade after initial investigations began.
Le Pen, the RN itself, and 24 others – including party officials, employees, and former lawmakers – have all been accused of using European Parliament money to pay staff in France.
The party leader and her co-defendants have denied the charges, saying the money was used legitimately.
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