Would banning Marine Le Pen from running for president be a gift for France's far right?

Paul MILLAR

15 November 2024 at 11:19 am·1-min read

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and 24 people, including other Rassemblement National party chiefs, are on trial until November 27, 2024, accused of creating fake jobs to embezzle European Parliament money.

France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen faces the prospect of being banned from running in the 2027 presidential election if found guilty of embezzling EU funds. But a guilty verdict, if it comes, could be a blessing for Le Pen’s photogenic protégé Jordan Bardella, leaving the 29-year-old with a clear path to the Elysée Palace.

It’s been almost ten years since the investigation began, and the walls are finally starting to close in. France’s far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen and two dozen other members of her National Rally (Rassemblement National, or RN) party stand accused of embezzling European Union funds, having allegedly funnelled millions of euros meant for EU parliamentary assistants into paying the salaries of their own party staffers in France.

The RN maintains that the staffers were legitimately employed as parliamentary aides and has already repaid more than €1 million to the EU parliament, which the party denies is an admission of guilt. The trial continues until November 27.

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