15 erring recruitment offices penalized in 3 months    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    Mass food poisonings cast shadow over Indonesia's free school meals    Police fatally shoot man at Toronto's international airport    Saudia Group signs deal with Airbus for flyadeal's first wide-body aircraft    Saudi non-oil exports surge 14.3 percent to SR26.11bn in February    Ministry of Justice launches centralized court model to enhance judicial efficiency    Saudi Arabia elected chair of Asia region of World Meteorological Organization    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Marine Le Pen on trial for alleged EU funds misuse
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 09 - 2024

Marine Le Pen, long-time leader of France's far-right National Rally and presidential hopeful, goes on trial in Paris on Monday accused of misusing European parliamentary funds.
More than 20 other senior figures in the party are also facing the same charges. They are accused of hiring assistants who worked on party affairs rather than for the European parliament which paid them.
If Le Pen is found guilty, she could face fines and imprisonment – and potentially be declared ineligible to run for office for up to 10 years, hitting her presidential ambitions.
She has denied wrongdoing, and party spokesman Laurent Jacobelli said "we are going to prove that there is no system to embezzle money from the EU".
"We are going to prove that it is possible to be an assistant to a European parliamentarian and get involved in the life of the RN (National Rally)," the spokesman told French media on Monday.
Le Pen's father Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96, who founded the National Front, which became the RN, also faces charges, but will not attend the trial because of poor health.
The system of alleged fake jobs was first flagged in 2015 and covered contracts for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016.
Le Pen faces trial as a long-time party leader and former EU lawmaker. Prosecutors allege that one of the people hired as a parliamentary assistant was actually working as a bodyguard for Le Pen and her father.
Prosecutors are seeking to recover more than 3m euros (£2.5m). The RN already paid back 1m euros (£834,000) - which it said was not an admission of guilt.
The trial is expected to last for nearly two months.
Le Pen stepped down as president of the then-National Front in 2017. She ran in presidential elections in 2012, 2017 and 2022, and is gearing up for another possible presidential run in 2027.
Her party has promoted policies against immigration - such as restricting social welfare to French citizens - and pushing for law and order and tax cuts.
She was re-elected to parliament during the first round of France's parliamentary election in June.
Her party unexpectedly came third, despite having achieved a decisive victory in the European Parliament elections just weeks before.
The left ended up winning the most legislative seats.
Following the elections, President Emmanuel Macron appointed a right-wing government. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.