Place for the defense lawyers, during the final stretch of the trial of the assistants of the National Rally (RN, Patriots for Europe), who denounced a political plot orchestrated by Martin Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, and by former president François Hollande.
“When a politician enters the courtroom, justice immediately leaves”attacked lawyer François Wagner on Monday November 18, during the first of six days devoted to the defense.
Marine Le Pen, the RN (formerly the National Front), and 24 other members of the far-right movement – including current MEPs – have been on trial since the end of September. The latter are accused of having embezzled 4.5 million euros from the European Parliament between 2004 and 2016, and of having used this money to pay party executives in France.
All the defendants have denied the facts of which they are accused.
“There has been a political character to this procedure since its origin”continued François Wagner – who represents the interests of three former RN MEPs, Dominique Bilde, Mylène Troszczynski and Marie-Christine Arnautu – warning against a “scheme”.
Martin Schulz, then President of the European Parliament, would have launched a procedure against the RN in March 2015 in order to serve the interests of the European Socialists and Democrats (S&D), while the MEPs of the far-right movement had increased from 3 to 24 after the 2014 European elections.
Former French President François Hollande, who in 2014 “was already running for re-election”would have supported Martin Schulz to advance the German’s accusations.
François Wagner also immersed himself in the twists and turns of “Implementing measures of the Statute of European Deputies”affirming that the main missions of parliamentary assistants were never clearly defined for the period 2004-2016.
According to the lawyer, it was never clearly specified that working for a political party in France was contrary to the rules of the European Parliament.
Marine Le Pen risks a five-year prison sentence, a fine of 300,000 euros and a ban on holding any public office for five years.
#JeSoutiensMarine
On November 13, prosecutors considered that the embezzlements judged by the court were “unprecedented in their scale, their duration, and their organized and systemic character”.
They have required against Marine Le Pen a five-year prison sentence, three of which were suspended, a fine of 300,000 euros and a ban on running for office for five years.
They also demanded that this latest sentence be applied immediately after the trial — and not be suspended if Marine Le Pen’s lawyer appeals the court’s decision — so that she can be prevented from appearing for the next presidential election in April 2027.
All the other accused risk sentences of ineligibility, and several of them – including former MEP RN Nicolas Bay, now with the European Conservatives and Reformists (CRE) – risk prison sentences and fines, while that the far-right party could be fined 4.3 million euros, including 2.3 million euros suspended.
Prosecutors also demanded the immediate confiscation of the party’s 1 million euros of frozen assets.
“It’s revolting and scandalous […]and millions of French people think the same thing as me», reacted Marine Le Pen on Friday November 15, visibly tired, evoking a « operation carried out by political adversaries »an argument openly echoed by defense lawyers on Monday.
RN officials, who had initially minimized the impact and importance of the trial, now denounce a trial “ policy », emphasizing that the ousting of Marine Le Pen from the 2027 election would amount to a denial of democracy.
The slogan #JeSoutiensMarine has been circulating on social networks for a week.
Several European far-right leaders have also expressed their support for the three-time presidential candidate.
“Marine, don’t forget that we are with you in this fight! And remember: Being harassed by the courts was a crucial step toward President Donald Trump’s victory.”, posted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on
The defense arguments, including those of Marine Le Pen, will continue until November 27. The verdict is expected at the beginning of 2025.
To have a significant impact on public opinion, how do you foresee the trial influencing the upcoming elections in France and elsewhere in Europe?
As the website editor for world-today-news.com, I would like to interview two guests regarding the ongoing trial of Marine Le Pen and her associates for alleged embezzlement of funds from the European Parliament. The first guest is Francois Wagner, a lawyer representing some of the defendants in the case, and the second guest is Jean-Pierre Ruetschi, a political analyst specializing in European politics.
1. Francois Wagner, as one of the defense lawyers for Marine Le Pen, what are your main arguments against the charges leveled against her and her party members? How do you refute the allegations of embezzlement or misuse of funds from the European Parliament?
2. Jean-Pierre Ruetschi, as a political analyst, what is your opinion on the fairness and impartiality of the trial process? Do you believe that there are political motivations behind the prosecution of Marine Le Pen and her associates?
3. Marine Le Pen and her team have argued that they are being targeted due to their political views. What is your response to this claim? Do you believe that this trial is a politically motivated attempt to discredit the far-right movement in Europe or do you think there is sufficient evidence to support the charges?
4. The prosecutors have demanded severe punishments for all the accused, including prison time and heavy fines. How do you view these demands, and do you think they are justified given the evidence presented in court?
5. There has been significant support for Marine Le Pen from both within France and other European countries. As a lawyer, how do you interpret this outpouring of support from the public and other politicians? Do you think it will have an impact on the trial’s outcome?
6. The European Union has strict rules regarding the use of funds by MEPs. Do you think that there was a lack of clarity or transparency regarding these rules during the period under investigation? If so, how should these issues be addressed to avoid similar situations in the future?
7. What implications could this trial have for the future of the far-right movement in Europe, as well as the relationship between the European Parliament and nationalist parties? Do you see any potential for reform or cooperation between the two sides?
8. As the verdict is expected
