French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is facing trial on charges of embezzling money from the European Parliament in an important case that could threaten her presidential ambitions.
"We have not broken any rules," the three-time presidential candidate of the far-right National Rally (RN) said before the hearings began in Paris, adding that she was in a "very calm" mood.
Le Pen and a number of RN party bosses have been accused of embezzling money from the European Parliament with fake jobs. If found guilty, penalties could include jail but also a ten-year ban from holding public office, which would destroy Le Pen's hopes of succeeding President Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 election.
The hearings risk undermining Le Pen's winning streak after the National Rally achieved record results in European elections, performed strongly in France's snap parliamentary vote and emerged as the leader in Prime Minister Michel Barnier's minority government.
Le Pen, 56, who hopes to run for France's presidency on her fourth attempt in 2027, has said she intends to appear in court as often as possible. Twenty-five people, including Le Pen herself, are defendants in the case, which will run until November 27.
In the dock in Paris are the RN party itself, nine former MEPs, including Le Pen and party vice-president Louis Aliot, spokesman Julien Audoul - one of the nine former parliamentary assistants - and four RN staffers.
The RN's fake jobs system was first reported in 2015. It covered contracts for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016.
Prosecutors say the assistants actually worked exclusively for the party outside parliament.
Many were unable to describe their day-to-day work, and some never met their alleged boss, an MP, or set foot in the parliament building.
A bodyguard, a secretary, Le Pen's chief of staff and a graphic designer were allegedly employed under false pretenses.
The charges of misuse of public funds carry maximum penalties, including a fine of €1.1 million, 10 years in prison and a ban on holding public office for 10 years.
European Parliament authorities allege that the legislature embezzled €3 million ($3.4 million at today's exchange rate).
The RN has already returned one million euros, which is not an admission of guilt.
For years, the party has called the investigation a form of "persecution" and political abuse of the justice system.
"Every time the party or its leaders are attacked, it allows them to present themselves as the victim," says political scientist Nona Mayer of Sciences Po University in Paris.
The party has benefited from President Emmanuel Macron's unpopularity after he successfully played the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections as a direct choice between him and the far right.
The RN's shock first-place result in June's European elections prompted Macron to call snap elections, and his gamble led to conservative Barnier's uncomfortable minority coalition.
Barnier could be ousted at any moment if the left alliance and the RN join forces in a confidence vote that would put Le Pen in the role of kingmaker.
Opinion polls show that the former protest party also enjoys increasingly committed support from voters.
One RN MP told AFP that "when I don't see Marine worried, I don't worry" ahead of the trial.
Historically, "scandals in other parties work in favour of the RN, but scandals in the RN do not work in favour of other parties," said University of Tours political scientist Sylvain Crepon.
Prosecutors say Le Pen and her father, former party leader Jean-Marie, signed off on the "centralised system" that gained momentum in 2014.
Now 96 years old, Le Pen senior will not appear in court for health reasons.
Several people have testified about a meeting in 2014 at which one said a clear structure for "fake jobs" was discussed.
RN and its previous incarnation, the National Front, "don't like Europe. The only thing they like is European Union money," said Patrick Mezoniuw, who represents the European Parliament as a co-plaintiff.
Evidence against the party includes contracts for periods as short as a day to squeeze every last cent out of their spending quotas.
A memo from the party's treasurer, Valseran de Saint-Just, warned of the party's disastrous finances, writing: 'We will not get out of this without making significant savings thanks to the European Parliament'.| BGNES
