France's budget battle offers Le Pen a reprieve as court decision looms

RFI

29 November 2024 at 9:16 am·1-min read

With her court battle on hold, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is concentrating on strengthening her party's position with the upcoming 2025 budget vote.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN), is turning her attention back to politics after a challenging legal ordeal. A verdict regarding allegations of misused European Parliament funds won't be announced until 31 March, giving her a temporary reprieve from legal scrutiny.

Le Pen has spent the past two months dividing her time between the National Assembly and court appearances in a criminal case that could affect her eligibility to run in the 2027 presidential elections.

The accusations centre on claims that European parliamentary assistants were hired with EU funds but worked exclusively for the benefit of Le Pen’s RN party.

Government squeezed

With the legal proceedings on hold, Le Pen is now concentrating on strengthening her party's position with the upcoming 2025 budget vote, which is causing market turbulence and risks bringing down the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

"It's a question of whether we can change a budget that is bad, unfair, violent, and if not, of drawing the political consequences," she said, adding it was important to challenge it.

French government still shaky as lawmakers compromise on budget bill

Party leaders have been vocal in the media, increasing pressure on Barnier’s government.

RN has hinted that its lawmakers could vote in favour of a no-confidence motion unless concessions are made.

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