They are accused of fictitious hiring of European Parliament assistants, which could reshape France’s political landscape in the coming years.
The courtroom is packed, with many standing, as Le Pen entered quickly, refusing to comment to the media. She briefly told journalists that she “trusts her lawyer” and sat next to her former husband, Louis Aliot, the mayor of Perpignan, who is also a defendant in the case.
Today, as in the past two weeks, the defense is presenting its case. Le Pen’s lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, will argue for her full acquittal. Le Pen, leader of the National Rally party and a potential 2027 presidential candidate, faces up to five years in prison (three of them suspended) and the possibility of being barred from public office. If the court rules for immediate enforcement of the sentence, she could be disqualified from running in the 2027 election.
At the end of the day, all defendants will have the opportunity to speak, but it is expected that Le Pen will waive this right. She had previously answered questions from the judge regarding the case involving all 24 defendants.
The trial, which began on September 30, has been held three times a week. Le Pen has attended nearly all the hearings. The politicians are accused of using European Parliament funds to pay assistants who only worked for the National Rally party. Le Pen, a member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2017 and party president from 2011 to 2021, is accused of creating a “centralized money-laundering system” using European Parliament funds, with damages exceeding 4.5 million euros.
The prosecution has called for a ban on all defendants holding public office, with an immediate application of the sentence. For Le Pen, this includes a five-year ban. They also requested a five-year prison sentence for her, with two years non-appealable, though these could be substituted with a less severe penalty, such as house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Additionally, the prosecution has sought a fine of 300,000 euros for Le Pen and 2 million euros for the National Rally party as a legal entity.
