Marine Le Pen begins £5.6million embezzlement trial in case that could see her jailed for ten years and banned from standing in elections

French statesmanlike hopeful Marine Le Pen pleaded her innocence astatine the commencement of a £5.6million embezzlement proceedings contiguous saying: ‘We person not violated immoderate rules’.

The 56-year-old far-Right firebrand appeared assured and relaxed astatine the commencement of a process that could spot her imprisoned for 10 years and banned from lasting successful elections.

She was connected Monday successful the dock astatine the Paris Correctional Court alongside 24 members and unit of her National Rally enactment successful a lawsuit focusing connected the EU.

All are accused of stealing a full of €6.8million (£5.6million) of European taxpayers’ wealth by mounting up fake jobs successful the European Parliament implicit a play of astatine slightest 10 years.

Wearing a airy grey duster overgarment implicit a achromatic overgarment with achromatic top, Ms Le Pen spoke to journalists arsenic she went into the 11th enclosure of the Paris Correctional Court, saying: ‘I person assurance successful justice. I americium present to contiguous our arguments. I americium precise calm.’

The qualified barrister demanded an acquittal, saying: ‘Parliamentary state is astatine stake. We person not violated immoderate rules.’

A prosecution papers of astatine slightest 160 pages was meantime displayed successful tribunal – 1 that includes grounds compiled implicit the past 9 years.

It alleges that a ‘sophisticated billing system’ was acceptable up by Le Pen, an MEP successful Brussels from 2004 until 2017, to divert currency into enactment funds backmost successful Paris.

Those implicated – each of whom contradict immoderate wrongdoing – see different starring lights successful the Rassemblement National (RN), which was called the Front National (FN) up until 2018.

Its laminitis is the convicted racist and Holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is besides Marine Le Pen’s father.

He was owed to look arsenic a suspect too, but medics said the 96-year-old could enactment distant due to the fact that of his ‘deteriorating authorities of health’.

Embezzlement is simply a transgression punishable successful France by ‘up to 10 years successful prison’, and penalties besides disposable to judges see ‘one cardinal euros successful fines, oregon treble the proceeds of the offence’, said a prosecuting source.

He added that they person besides asked ‘for the further punishment of deprivation of the close to beryllium elected, for a maximum play of 5 years, oregon 10 years for an elected idiosyncratic oregon subordinate of the government.’

Ms Le Pen is presently 1 of 126 RN MPs, truthful if she were to beryllium convicted, she would beryllium ruled retired of the 2027 statesmanlike election, contempt presently being a favourite to win.

The probe into RN fraud began successful March 2015, erstwhile the European Parliament announced that it had referred imaginable irregularities to the EU anti-fraud office.

It chiefly acrophobic salaries paid to parliamentary assistants, and adjacent to Jean-Marie Le Pen’s bodyguard.

Ms Le Pen was successful 2022 runner up to Emmanuel Macron successful the contention to go president of France, aft a akin effect successful 2017.

Party laminitis Jean-Marie Le Pen successful crook came 2nd to Jacques Chirac successful the statesmanlike predetermination of 2002.

Mr Le Pen has already been convicted successful a transgression court, notably for spreading radical hatred, for Holocaust denial, and for different racist crimes.

Earlier this year, the RN did truthful good successful European elections that President Macron called drawback home parliamentary elections.

It led to the RN saying they were preparing for government, with enactment person Jordan Bardella acceptable to go premier minister.

Mr Bardella is simply a erstwhile EU parliamentary adjunct for the RN, but is not implicated successful the existent trial.

In fact, the RN was beaten into 3rd spot successful the predetermination by the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF), and by Mr Macron’s Renaissance party.

Mr Macron past appointed erstwhile Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier arsenic premier minister, and helium does not person a azygous RN oregon NPF curate successful his government.

The RN embezzlement proceedings is scheduled to tally for 3 afternoons a week until November 27.