A court in France has barred Far-right leader, Marine Le Pen from seeking public office for five years, with immediate effect, after being found guilty of embezzling European Union funds.
The court’s decision puts the harmer on her presidential ambition.
She watched the judge from the from row, giving wider detail of the verdict, indicating her party illegally used the funds of the European Parliament, for its own benefit.
The judge also handed down guilty verdicts to eight other current
and former members of her party who previously served as European Parliament lawmakers.
Marine Le Pen and her co-defendants are to face up to 10 years in prison. But they can appeal the verdict – and that would lead to another trial.
She left the courthouse without stopping to speak to reporters.
The court estimated that the European Parliament’s total loss was €2.9 million, with Le Pen personally embezzling around €474,000.
She has denied accusations she was at the head of “a system” meant to siphon off EU parliament money to benefit her party, arguing instead it was acceptable to adapt the work of parliamentary aides to the needs of her party’s lawmakers.
While testifying, Le Pen told the court: “I absolutely don’t feel I have committed the slightest irregularity, the slightest illegal move.”
