“There are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves deprived of their candidate in the election,” she told the panel of three judges.
If Le Pen cannot run in 2027, her seeming natural successor would be Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 29-year-old protege, who succeeded her at the helm of the party in 2021.
Le Pen denied accusations she was at the head of “a system” meant to siphon off EU parliament money to benefit her party, which she led from 2011 to 2021. She argued instead that it was acceptable to adapt the work of the aides paid by the European Parliament to the needs of the lawmakers, including some highly political work related to the party, which was called the National Front at the time.
Hearings showed that some EU money was used to pay for Le Pen’s bodyguard – who was once her father’s bodyguard – as well as her personal assistant.
Prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence and a five-year period of ineligibility for Le Pen.
Le Pen said she felt they were only interested in preventing her from running for president.
AP