Prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday that they have initiated a preliminary investigation into supposedly illicit financing of National Rally leader Marine Le Pen’s 2022 presidential election. Le Pen’s populist party won the European elections in France, and the greatest share of the popular vote in the subsequent snap national elections called by President Emmanuel Macron.
Reports indicate that other candidates in the 2022 presidential election are also under investigation but, unlike Le Pen, they have not been named. The judicial probe focuses on allegations of misappropriation of funds, fraud, and forgery.
Last year, French prosecutors threatened Le Pen with a possible one million euro fine and up to ten years in prison over allegations of misusing European Union (EU) funds. Previously, prosecutors pursued her for disseminating violent messages, after she posted images of Islamic State atrocities. This ended in an acquittal—with the courts recognizing she was clearly criticizing rather than glorifying the jihadist group.
The lawfare campaign against Le Pen is similar to the one against former President Donald J. Trump in the United States. Joe Biden’s Justice Department and state-level Democrat prosecutors have launched multiple cases against Trump, but after numerous adverse rulings for prosecutors, it is likely that only one dubious conviction in Manhattan will be in place at the time of the November election.
Chris Tomlinson contributed to this report.