Marine Le Pen insists party acted in 'good faith' at appeal trial

French far-right politician Marine Le Pen of the Rassemblement National party at her appeal trial on charges of embezzlement of European public funds, Paris, January 21, 2026. STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen told an appeals trial on Wednesday, January 21, that her party acted in "good faith," denying an effort to embezzle European Parliament funds as she fights to keep her 2027 presidential bid alive.

A French court last year barred Le Pen, a three-time presidential candidate from the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), from running for office for five years over a fake jobs scam at the European institution. It found her, along with 24 former European Parliament lawmakers, assistants and accountants, as well as the party itself, guilty of operating a "system" from 2004 to 2016 using European Parliament funds to employ party staff in France.

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Le Pen delivers well-rehearsed argument at embezzlement appeal trial