The turn of the trial, increasingly difficult for the National Rally as the days went by, led to fears of the worst for Marine Le Pen. And the prosecution’s requisitions in the context of the affair of the embezzlement of European funds by the far-right party are indeed heavy, in particular for the three-time presidential candidate: five years in prison, two of which are closed and five years in prison. ineligibility with immediate execution.
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“ We are here in a judicial forum and the law applies to everyone », insisted the prosecutor Nicolas Barret, asking that this sentence apply from the conviction, including if the three-time presidential candidate appeals, believing that she is not accountable for her “ ambitions » policies.
Such a sentence would prohibit the defendants from running in future local or national elections », specified the prosecutor before Marine Le Pensitting in the front row of the 24 other defendants – party executives, former MEPs and former parliamentary assistants.
Marine Le Pen denounces a desire to “ exclude him from political life »
This is a disaster scenario for the National Rally, a “ violence » and a “ excess » proclaimed Marine Le Pen. “ I think that the desire of the prosecution is to deprive the French of the ability to vote for those they want » and “ ruin the party », she reacted to journalists as she left the hearing, while a fine of 300,000 euros was requested against her. “ The only thing that interested the prosecution was Marine Le Pen, to be able to request her exclusion from political life »
This political motive is what the RN has been hammering home since the start of the trial, which has undoubtedly not softened the accusation. As soon as the requisitions were revealed, the entire Le Pen ecosystem was activated, particularly on social networks with the hashtag “ I support Marine “.
“ The prosecution is not in justice, it is in relentlessness and revenge against Marine Le Pen. His scandalous requisitions aim to deprive millions of French people of their vote in 2027. It is an attack on democracy », shouted the president of the RN, Jordan Bardellawho could well be the big winner of this trial, representing the most obvious alternative for the RN in the event of Marine Le Pen’s impediment.
Also readMarine Le Pen, a royal road and pitfalls
“ Organized system “, according to the prosecution
The prosecution described Wednesday in its indictment a “ organized system » of misappropriation of public funds to the detriment of the European Parliament, with “ artificial contracts » of parliamentary assistants in order to “ save money » money to the party.
“ We are not here today due to persistence “, nor because of a denunciation ” of the European Parliament ”, but at the term “ a long judicial investigation “, declared one of the two representatives of the prosecution, prosecutor Louise Neyton, at the start of the indictment. “ You will make your decision based on the documents in the file. ”, and after “ six weeks of hearing » and “ particularly lively debates », Continued the magistrate in a full courtroom.
In turn, throughout their requisitions, the two prosecutors detailed on Wednesday the architecture of a “ system » which according to them was put in place at the National Front (now National Rally, RN) between 2004 and 2016, consisting of hiring European parliamentary assistants “ fictional » who actually worked for the party.
Also readAffair of European parliamentary assistants: the trial of Marine Le Pen and the RN opens in Paris