French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, member of parliament of the Rassemblement National (National Rally - RN) party, talks to journalists as she arrives for her trial alongside 26 other defendants (party officials and employees, former lawmakers and parliamentary assistants) and the RN party itself, over alleged misappropriation of European Union funds, using money intended to pay FN-RN parliamentary assistants for party staff between 2004 and 2016, at the courthouse in Paris, France, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
PARIS (Reuters) - Marine Le Pen, the leading figure of France's far-right National Rally (RN) party, went on trial on Monday accused of misappropriating EU funds and said she was confident she would prove she did nothing wrong.
Le Pen, the RN itself, and 24 others - party officials, employees, former lawmakers and parliamentary assistants - are accused of using money destined for work at the European Parliament to pay staff who were working for their party, which at the time was called the National Front.
Le Pen and the other accused say the way they used the money was legitimate and that the allegations show too narrow a definition of what a parliamentary assistant does.
"I approach this trial with great peace of mind," Le Pen told reporters as she arrived at the criminal tribunal in Paris.
The trial could potentially be damaging for Le Pen, who, if found guilty, risks being barred from public office for several years for accusations she denies.
But if it clears her of wrongdoing, the trial, which comes almost a decade after initial investigations started, could also help Le Pen further polish her image and that of her party ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
"We have seen in the case of Trump how he gathered strength and support through all his trials," Eurointelligence analysts wrote in a note, referring to U.S. court cases involving former President Donald Trump.
"It can also pitch national interests against European ones. The base of staunch Le Pen supporters could grow."
Le Pen, who lost to Emmanuel Macron in the second round of France's presidential election in 2017 and 2022, is widely seen as a frontrunner in 2027.
EXPENSES
The European Parliament has estimated the damage at 3.5 million euros ($3.92 million), its lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve said.
EU lawmakers are allocated funds to cover expenses, including their assistants, but are not meant to use them to cross-fund party activities.
Le Pen and her party, which argues for 'France first' policies on issues ranging from immigration, energy markets and agriculture, reject the allegations.
RN lawmaker and party spokesman Laurent Jacobelli told Reuters last week that was what at stake was "a different understanding, as a French party, of what an assistant role is, compared with the European Parliament's understanding,"
Marine Le Pen is facing charges both for her role as party leader and as an EU lawmaker at the time, for allegedly hiring fictitious assistants herself.
If found guilty, Le Pen and other defendants could face a potential jail sentence of up to 10 years and a one million euro ($1.12 million) fine.
In addition, those like Le Pen who were elected officials at the time of the alleged offences risk being barred from public office for up to 10 years. Those who were not elected officials could be barred for up to five years.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96, was also among the accused, but, at the start of the proceedings, the judge said that, for health reasons, he and one another accused were not fit to stand trial and would be judged separately at a later stage
The trial will last until November 27.
($1 = 0.8941 euros)
(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau and Tassilo Hummel, writing by Juliette Jabkhiro and Ingrid Melander; editing by William Maclean)
