Marine Le Pen’s conviction: A blow to her political future

Department of Research, Studies and International News 02-04-2025

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been handed a five-year ban from running for office following her conviction in a high-profile embezzlement case. The ruling comes after an extensive nine-week trial that revealed a fraudulent scheme involving European parliamentary funds. This verdict significantly impacts her chances of making a fourth presidential bid in 2027.

Le Pen has firmly denied the allegations and has announced plans to appeal the ruling, which also includes a four-year prison sentence, two years suspended and two to be served under electronic surveillance, along with a €100,000 fine.

The court found Le Pen guilty of orchestrating a large-scale scheme to divert European parliamentary funds. Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis, who specializes in financial crimes, described her as being “at the heart” of a meticulously structured system of financial misconduct.

Between 2004 and 2016, taxpayer funds allocated for European Parliament assistants in Brussels and Strasbourg were instead funneled to finance the operations of Le Pen’s party, formerly known as the Front National (now National Rally, or RN). These funds, meant to compensate parliamentary aides, were redirected to pay party staff in France who had no actual duties related to the European Parliament.

The court determined that this fraudulent scheme resulted in a misappropriation of approximately €4.8 million from the European Union. While Le Pen was directly responsible for overseeing eight fictitious contracts totaling €474,000, she was also found to have played a central role in initiating and expanding the larger operation with what the court described as “authority” and “determination.”

Le Pen was not the only individual implicated in the fraudulent activities. A total of 20 others were convicted, including eight European Parliament members affiliated with RN, 12 individuals who held fraudulent assistant contracts, two accountants, and the party’s treasurer.

Among those found guilty were Jean-Marie Le Pen’s personal secretary and full-time bodyguard. Marine Le Pen’s sister, Yann Le Pen, was also convicted for receiving funds under the pretense of parliamentary work while actually organizing party events in France.

Where Did the Money Go?

Despite the large-scale embezzlement, neither Le Pen nor the other convicted individuals personally profited from the scheme. The court ruled that the illicitly obtained funds were used solely to finance the party’s operations rather than for personal enrichment.

Documents presented as evidence included an email from the party’s treasurer to Le Pen in 2014, highlighting financial difficulties and proposing cost-cutting measures: “We’ll only get through if we make big savings thanks to the European Parliament …” This exchange suggested that party leaders were fully aware that European funds were being used improperly to sustain their operations.

The court further noted that salaries paid to party workers through these fraudulent contracts were significantly higher than what the party could have afforded on its own. The misappropriation ultimately helped sustain party activities, benefiting key figures such as Jean-Marie Le Pen, who received parliamentary funds to cover the salaries of his secretary and bodyguard.

The Evidence Behind the Conviction

The court’s verdict was based on extensive documentation that exposed the fraudulent nature of the contracts. Judges cited multiple internal emails, one of which came from a European Parliament member with a legal background, who warned that what Le Pen was asking them to do amounted to signing off on “fictitious jobs.” The party’s treasurer responded, indicating awareness of the potential risk: “I think Marine knows all that …”

Another email, presented as evidence during the trial, came from an individual supposedly employed as a parliamentary assistant. He wrote: “I’d like to see the European Parliament and that would also allow me to meet the MEP I’m attached to.” This statement strongly suggested that he had never visited the institution where he was supposedly employed for four months.

Le Pen’s Defense and Reaction

Throughout the trial, Le Pen and her co-defendants vehemently denied any wrongdoing. She maintained that she had never engaged in fraudulent activity, stating: “I have absolutely no sense of having committed the slightest irregularity or the slightest illegal act.”

Following the verdict, Le Pen reaffirmed her innocence and announced her intention to appeal. The court, however, noted that none of the accused had demonstrated any acknowledgment of their legal violations or shown concern for the principles of integrity.

This ruling poses a significant threat to Le Pen’s political career. The five-year ban from running for office could derail her ambitions to contest the 2027 French presidential election, where she was expected to be a formidable challenger.

However, her appeal could potentially delay the enforcement of the ban, allowing her to remain active in politics for the time being. The case also casts a shadow over the National Rally party, which has long sought to rebrand itself as a legitimate political force in France.

As the legal battle continues, the political landscape in France remains uncertain, with the far-right leader’s fate hanging in the balance. Whether her appeal succeeds or not, the scandal marks a major turning point in her career and the future of her party.