Marine Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement has sparked intense debate in France about her suitability to lead the country. Last week's ruling by a French court of appeal confirmed that she played a key role in a decade-long scheme to misuse EU funds allocated for European Parliament staff, diverting millions into the party's coffers instead.
The scandal, which dates back to 2004 when Le Pen was still at the helm of the National Front (FN), involved claiming salaries for assistants who did not perform legitimate parliamentary duties. Among those on the payroll were her personal bodyguard and long-time assistant. The appeal court confirmed that €2.8 million was misused over 11 years, until 2016.
The Paris court of appeal handed Le Pen a three-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, as well as an electronic monitoring term for the remaining year. She was also fined €100,000 and declared ineligible for public office for 45 months, 30 of which were suspended. However, Le Pen has since appealed to France's highest court, halting her electronic tagging pending that decision.
The timing of Le Pen's election campaign launch just hours after the appeal court's ruling has drawn criticism from those arguing it diverts attention away from the gravity of her actions and towards her presidential ambitions. Critics point out that a politician with such a record leading France's largest party in parliament raises questions about her legitimacy to continue in public life.
The court's detailed 341-page decision, which characterises the offences as "grave," reveals that Le Pen took over the scheme from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. The National Rally party itself was also convicted and fined €2 million, with half suspended, for its involvement in diverting European Parliament funds.