French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been sentenced to four years in prison and banned from politics for five years. This is a major blow to her chances of becoming the next president of France.
The verdict was delivered on Monday by a French court. Le Pen was found guilty of embezzling over 3 million euros from the European Parliament. She used this money to pay her party’s staff between 2004 and 2016.
Le Pen plans to appeal the verdict. However, this process could take years, and it’s unclear if she’ll be able to run in the next presidential election.
The court said Le Pen was the mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme. The money was meant to pay for parliamentary assistants, but it was actually used to fund her party, the National Rally.
Le Pen claims the verdict is politically motivated and aims to prevent her from running for president. She says millions of French people are angry about the decision and that it’s a violation of the law.
The trial began in November 2022 and lasted nine weeks. Le Pen and 24 other defendants from her party were accused of misusing European Parliament funds. The court found that the embezzlement was not an accident, but a deliberate attempt to reduce the party’s costs.
This verdict is a significant setback for Le Pen’s political ambitions. She was considered a strong contender for the next presidential election, but the ban on her political activities may prevent her from running.
Key Facts
- Marine Le Pen sentenced to 4 years in prison and banned from politics for 5 years
- Found guilty of embezzling over 3 million euros from the European Parliament
- Plans to appeal the verdict, but the process could take years
- Verdict is a major blow to her chances of becoming the next president of France
Source: nbcnews
