Marine Le Pen Faces Five-Year Prison Term and Ban from 2027 Presidential Race over Embezzlement Charges

Nov 13, 2024, 07:01 PM

French prosecutors have demanded a five-year prison sentence and an immediate five-year ban from public office for Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally party, over allegations of embezzling European Parliament funds from 2011 to 2016. The ineligibility sentence applies to Le Pen and all other defendants in the trial. If convicted, Le Pen could be barred from running in the 2027 presidential election, where she is considered a leading candidate. The trial, underway in Paris, is entering its final stages, with a verdict expected in early 2025. Le Pen rejects the embezzlement claims, calling them unfair.