During the appeal process in the case of the so-called ‘European Parliament assistants,’ the French prosecutor’s office demanded that the five-year ban on holding public office be upheld for Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally party.
The case concerns allegations that the party used European Parliament funds to pay its employees, who were in fact working for the party rather than performing the duties of parliamentary assistants. The National Rally is a right-wing political party formerly known as the National Front.
If this punishment is upheld, Le Pen could be barred from participating in elections, including presidential elections. The leader of the National Rally has repeatedly run for president of France and is considered one of the key figures in French politics.
A decision on the appeal is expected shortly and could have a significant impact on Marine Le Pen’s political career.