France’s far-right chief faces corruption investigation.
The Paris prosecutors’ office opened an investigation into the campaign financing of far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s presidential bid in 2022.
The probe, which follows a preliminary inquiry, was opened last week over suspicions of embezzlement, forgery, fraud and a candidate on an election campaign accepting a loan, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to POLITICO.
In 2022, Le Pen — then making her third attempt to win the French presidency as National Rally leader — got 41 percent of the vote in the second round, losing to incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The probe, which follows a preliminary inquiry, was opened last week over suspicions of embezzlement, forgery, fraud and a candidate on an election campaign accepting a loan, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to POLITICO.
It follows a report from the national committee scrutinizing campaign spending (the CNCCFP) which alerted the Paris prosecutor’s office.
“I’m very surprised because our campaign expenses were approved in December 2022 and refunded in February 2023,” said an unnamed official from the National Rally, speaking to AFP.
In September, Le Pen is also set to go on trial along with 24 other people over alleged misuse of EU funds, after a seven-year investigation into allegations that the National Rally used public funds, which were meant for EU parliamentary assistants, to pay party staff.
According to Libération, Le Pen herself faces accusations of embezzlement of public funds and risks a fine and up to 10 years in jail.
Le Pen’s National Rally was also fined in 2023 for misuse of company assets, following an investigation into the over-billing of party campaign kits during the 2012 parliamentary election.
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