Marine Le Pen Faces EU Embezzlement Trial Allegations

Marine Le Pen and her party, the Rassemblement National (RN), are facing allegations of embezzling European Parliament funds. The accusations state that Le Pen and 24 others used European Parliament money to pay staff in France who were working for the RN, which was previously known as the National Front. Le Pen has defended herself and her party, arguing that parliamentary assistants funded by the European Parliament were naturally involved in politics. She claims that it was a false distinction to suggest that they should only be working for the parliament and not for their own parties. A nine-week trial is currently underway, which is considered a critical juncture for Le Pen, who is expected to be a strong contender in France's next presidential election in 2027. A guilty verdict could have significant implications for her political career and aspirations.