The trial of the case of the assistants of MEPs of the National Front, now National Rally, opened this Monday morning, September 30 before the Paris criminal court. The party, its leader Marine Le Pen and 24 other people – executives, former MEPs or parliamentary assistants – are accused of having participated in a system of embezzlement of public funds. They are suspected of having used European Parliament funds to pay assistants to MEPs who in fact worked for the party, between 2004 and 2016. Facts that the defendants dispute. During this first hearing dedicated to procedural issues, Marine Le Pen attracted all eyes.
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In the front row, black suit, head slightly bowed, Marine Le Pen attentively follows the parade of defendants called to the stand one by one by the president to verify their identity and listen to the reminder of the facts with which they are accused.
When her name is called, the leader of the RN moves forward with a determined step, but without hurrying. “ I will answer all the questions that the court may wish to ask me. », she states in a clear tone when the president mentions her right to silence.
“ I plan to speak », thundered just before her Bruno Gollnisch, ex-number 2 of the FN, who came to the hearing with a thick file. “ If justice arrogates to itself the right to examine the work of parliamentary assistants, this amounts to also controlling the work of deputies, which is contrary to the fundamental principle of the separation of powers. », he denounces during a suspension.
Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen, while defending herself, with a half-smile, from “dhold a press conference in the middle of a courtroom », exchanges a few minutes with the many journalists present. “ This trial is that of parliamentary freedom, which interests all political parties », Insists the leader of the RN, who assures that she will come regularly to the hearing. “ I’m interested “, “ I have a global vision of the issues”“ and my feeling of injustice is less strong being here “, she confides.
Also readAffair of European parliamentary assistants: the trial of Marine Le Pen and the RN opens in Paris