O
n March 31, 2025, a criminal court in Paris delivered a ruling in the case over the use of fake parliamentary assistants by the Front National, now called the Rassemblement National (RN). The court found Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzlement and of aiding and abetting the misuse of public funds. The president of the RN was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which suspended, a fine of €100,000, and five years of ineligibility from public office with immediate effect, despite Le Pen's announcement that she would appeal the conviction.
This judicial decision was a political earthquake, as it risked making Le Pen's future candidacy in the presidential election impossible. Many observers questioned whether three judges could legitimately hold in their hands the fate of such a high-profile political figure, and indeed, the entire shape of the next major French electoral contest.
After nearly five years of investigation, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office requested a trial for Le Pen and about 20 other defendants. The trial began in Paris on September 30, 2024, lasted several weeks, and concluded with the verdict on March 31, 2025.
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