Marine Le Pen: "What is required is my political death"

 

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Friday commented on the disqualification with immediate execution requested by prosecutors in a case of embezzlement of funds from the European Parliament, considering that "what is required is my political death."

On Wednesday, the prosecution requested a five-year prison sentence for Le Pen, including two years with an option to do so, and a fine of 300,000 euros, considering her to be at the "heart of a planned system" aimed at using the European Parliament as a "source of funds" for the National Rally party that she leads.

The defense is expected to present its arguments on Monday, before the criminal court issues a ruling in early 2025.

Le Pen is accused, along with about twenty senior officials in the National Rally party, of creating fictitious jobs to embezzle funds from the European Parliament, and she pleads her innocence.

Le Pen said in an interview on Friday evening on the French channel "TF1", "It is clear that my political survival will depend on whether this political death sentence is carried out... or not."

"I think that was the goal from the beginning of this process launched by the Socialist (Martin) Schulz, the President of the European Parliament (at the time), in agreement with the Socialist (Christiane) Taubira, the French Minister of Justice at the time," she added.

The French MEP expressed "a sense of indignation", saying that "millions of French people also feel it", "even outside my political camp, because the indignation that this accusation has aroused has penetrated to some extent the entire political class".

Several French politicians, including former Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin of President Emmanuel Macron's party, have expressed their reservations about the idea of ​​an immediate disqualification.

The National Rally launched a petition on the X platform on Thursday entitled "Support Marine! Defend democracy", in which it denounced "a blatant interference in the organization of parliamentary life without regard for the separation of powers", and "an attempt to eliminate the voice of the real opposition" and "a circumvention of the democratic process".

Le Pen, like other former MEPs from her party, is accused of concluding "sham contracts" with parliamentary assistants who were actually working for the party between 2004 and 2016.

The European Parliament estimated its financial damage at 4.5 million euros, but is only seeking 3.4 million, as part of this amount has been paid.

The five-year prison sentence requested by the prosecution is partially suspended, meaning that Le Pen will not necessarily be imprisoned if she is convicted.

However, the ruling could prevent her from running for president in 2027, as the public prosecutor has requested that the ban on holding any public office be enforced immediately after the conviction, even if the ruling is appealed.