PARIS, Jan 13 (Reuters) – French far-right leader Marine Le Pen begins a crucial appeal in Paris on Tuesday that will determine whether she can run in the 2027 presidential election, after being barred from public office over a conviction for misusing EU funds.
Le Pen was in March handed a five-year ban from holding public office, effective immediately, after she and eight other former National Rally (RN) lawmakers were found guilty of misappropriating over 4 million euros ($4.67 million) of EU funds, while the party itself and a dozen parliamentary assistants were found guilty of receiving it.
Judges said that between 2004 and 2016, Le Pen and others had used funds destined for work at the European Parliament to pay staff who were actually working for the party.
Le Pen said the way she and her co-defendants used the money was legitimate.
“My only line of defence for this appeal trial will be the same as during the first trial: telling the truth,” Le Pen told reporters on Monday.
“The case will be reset and judged by new judges,” she added. “I hope to convince them of my innocence.”
Le Pen also initially received a four-year prison sentence — two years of which were suspended and two years to be served under home detention, and a 100,000 euro ($116,830) fine. Unlike the ban, those penalties did not take effect because she appealed.
The RN and 10 others found guilty of diverting European Parliament funds or receiving these funds have also appealed.
The hearing begins on Tuesday and is due to end on February 12.
Le Pen’s lawyers, Rodolphe Bosselut and Sandra Chirac Kollarik, declined to comment ahead of the hearing.
The European Parliament’s lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve said he hoped Le Pen and her co-defendants’ convictions would be upheld, including more than 3 million euro awarded in damages to the European Parliament. The RN was also ordered to pay a 2 million euro fine, with half the amount suspended.
A ruling is expected before the summer, meaning Le Pen’s hopes of running in 2027 remain alive if her five-year ban is revoked or drastically curtailed.
If she cannot run, her protege, 30-year-old RN party president Jordan Bardella, is expected to step in.
($1 = 0.8559 euros)
(Reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro;Editing by Alison Williams)
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