5 years in jail, two of that are closed, and 5 years of ineligibility required towards Marine Le Pen | EUROtoday

After a month and a half of listening to, the prosecution requested, on Wednesday November 13, ineligibility sentences towards Marine Le Pen and the 24 different defendants – occasion executives, ex-MEPs and former parliamentary assistants –, “modulated” relying on every individual’s duties. The prosecution requested 5 years in jail, two of which might be adjusted, and 5 years of ineligibility, towards the top of the National Rally (RN) deputies. A effective of 300,000 euros was additionally requested towards him.

The far-right chief denounced what she described as ” violence “ and“excess” demise requisitions. “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”added the three-time presidential candidate.

“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”stated Jordan Bardella on X.

“Even in France, they are trying by all means to stop the popular will and the democratic wind of change”additionally added to X, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, ally of M^me Le Pen in Europe.

Prosecutors requested that this sentence be accompanied by a “provisional execution”that’s to say it applies instantly, even when the accused enchantment. Such ache “would prohibit the defendants from running in future local or national elections”clarified the prosecutor in entrance of the three-time presidential candidate seated within the first row of defendants. But “we are here in a judicial forum and the law applies to everyone”.

A effective of 4.3 million euros, together with 2 million suspended, was additionally requested towards the occasion.

A “system” inside the FN

Of the “artificial contracts” parliamentary assistants with a purpose to “save money” cash to the National Front: the prosecution depicted in its indictment on Wednesday a “organized system” misappropriation of public funds to the detriment of the European Parliament.

“We are not here today because of persistence”nor due to a denunciation “of the European Parliament”however ultimately “a long judicial investigation”instantly declares one of many two representatives of the prosecution, Louise Neyton. “You will make your decision based on the documents in the file”and after “six weeks of hearing” and “particularly lively debates”continues the Justice of the Peace in a full courtroom the place Marine Le Pen sat within the entrance row alongside Louis Aliot, present quantity two of the RN.

“Their only objective is to prevent me from being my camp’s presidential candidate [de 2027]. You have to be deaf and blind not to see it”the three-time presidential candidate had declared earlier.

In flip, all through their requisitions, the 2 prosecutors detailed the structure of a ” system “ which in accordance with them was carried out on the FN (now RN) between 2004 and 2016, consisting of hiring European parliamentary assistants “fictitious” who truly labored for the occasion.

“Financial arrangements”

At the time, “the party is in a particularly tense financial situation. Everything that can contribute to reducing costs will be used systematically”whether or not “legal or not”stated Louise Neyton, whereas Marine Le Pen was making ” No “ head vigorous.

The European Parliament solely makes “accounting controls”for the remaining he does ” trust “ to MEPs concerning the usage of their month-to-month allocation of 21,000 euros: “So, it’s too tempting, these envelopes will appear as a godsend and be used as such”insisted the Justice of the Peace. And this ” system “says the prosecution, will “strengthen” with the arrival, in 2011, of Marine Le Pen on the head of the occasion, with an worker answerable for managing European contracts, who stories ” only “ to the president, the “order giver”.

In 2014, after the election of round twenty National Front (FN) MEPs, the occasion’s treasurer, Wallerand de Saint-Just, wrote: “We will only get out of this if we make significant savings thanks to the European Parliament”remembers the prosecutor. And to say emails – “not all, there are too many” – talking of “financial arrangements”of “transfers” of such an assistant ” on “ such MP relying on the supply of envelopes. One or the opposite, “you can choose”it’s written in a message.

Facing “alternative fiction” proposed as a protection, the prosecutors then delved at size into the main points of the case. Warned by warning and contract by contract, they dissected for every “the nature of the work” carried out by the 12 parliamentary assistants, the “link of subordination” that they keep with “their deputy” European – 9 together with Marine Le Pen had been tried in complete, for embezzlement of public funds.

With a normal statement. In proof of labor, “there is nothing”besides “the famous standard proof: the press review”. Employment contracts? “Artificial”with out ” consistency “ – “We are very happy with someone but we part with them, then we take them back”commented Nicolas Barret. Of the “variable geometry declarations”and even ” anything “summarized Louise Neyton.

The European Parliament had estimated its monetary injury at 4.5 million euros, however solely claimed 3.4 million (a component having been reimbursed).