PARIS (AP) — A Paris court is expected to deliver a verdict Monday in an embezzlement case that could shake up French politics and derail far-right leader…
A Paris court is expected to deliver a verdict Monday in an embezzlement case that could shake up French politics and derail far-right leader Marine Le Pen ‘s career.
Le Pen and 24 other officials from her National Rally are accused of having used money intended for European Union parliamentary aides to pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, in violation of the 27-nation bloc’s regulations. Le Pen and her co-defendants deny wrongdoing.
The biggest concern for Le Pen is that the court may declare her ineligible to run for office “with immediate effect” — even if she appeals. That could prevent her from running for president in 2027. She has described such scenario as a “political death.”
The Constitutional Council ruled Friday, in a separate case, that imposing the punishment immediately was constitutional.
With so many defendants, the verdict could take several hours for the chief judge to read out, meaning Le Pen may not learn her fate immediately when the proceedings start.
