French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, charged with embezzling European Parliament funds, told a court on Monday, October 14, that she was innocent as she was questioned for the first time in the trial that could thwart her presidential ambitions. Le Pen and two dozen other far-right Rassemblement Nationale (RN) party chiefs are accused of embezzling European Parliament money by creating fake jobs. Possible sanctions include jail as well as a decade-long ban from public office, which could wreck Le Pen’s hopes of succeeding President Emmanuel Macron in a 2027 election.

Le Pen had already addressed the trial since it opened on September 30 but had not previously been subjected to direct questioning. “I have absolutely no sense of having committed the slightest irregularity, or the slightest illegal act,” Le Pen, 56, told the court on Monday. But when questioned about how she exactly selected her presumed parliamentary aides and what their tasks were, she gave general answers or said she could not remember. “It was 20 years ago,” she said. She said described the European Parliament as a “blob that gobbles up everything.” The court’s presiding judge, whom Le Pen last week accused of adopting a “tone of partiality” said she was not satisfied with Le Pen’s responses.

‘Not answered’

“Our questions have not been answered, but they will be, I’m sure,” the judge said. The RN this year achieved record scores in European elections, performed strongly in France’s early legislative vote and could decide the fate of Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s new minority government.

In the dock are the RN party, nine former MEPs including Le Pen and party vice-president Louis Aliot, spokesman Julien Odoul – one of nine former parliamentary assistants – and four RN staff. The alleged fake jobs system, which was first flagged in 2015, covers parliamentary assistant contracts between 2004 and 2016.

Prosecutors say the assistants worked exclusively for the party outside parliament. Many were unable to describe their day-to-day work, and some never met their supposed MEP boss or set foot in the parliament building. A bodyguard, a secretary, Le Pen’s chief of staff and a graphic designer were all allegedly hired under false pretenses.

Misuse of public funds can be punished with a million-euro fine, a 10-year jail term and a 10-year ban from public office. If convicted, Le Pen would be able to lodge an appeal, which could delay the final verdict until after the 2027 election, thus allowing her to stand in the presidential race in what would be her fourth attempt to become president.

European Parliament authorities said the legislature had lost three million euros through the jobs scheme. The RN has paid back one million euros, which it insists is not an admission of guilt. Prosecutors have said that Le Pen and her father, former party leader Jean-Marie, both signed off on a “centralized system” that picked up pace in 2014. Now 96, Le Pen senior is among those charged but not expected to appear in court because of ill health.