Marine Le Pen: justice or lawfare?

Marine Le Pen, president of Rassemblement National (National Rally) was found guilty this week of embezzling EU funds to boost her party’s finances. The guilty verdict was widely expected, however her sentence was far harsher than even her strongest critics expected – part of which saw her banned from standing for office for five years, with immediate effect. Le Pen had been the favourite to win the next French presidential election in 2027.

Pursuing Donald Trump through the courts was widely seen as backfiring as he went on to win the presidential election, and many have argued that there is a double standard with many more figures and parties facing investigation from the right than from the left. Is this a case of justice served, or another example of creeping lawfare across the West? Deputy political editor James Heale discusses with our deputy editor Freddy Gray and French journalist and writer Anne-Elisabeth Moutet.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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[posmoo]

lawfare is a nice way to say political persecution

[parasinthephilippines]

Wasn't the head of the European Parliament guilty of major theft from the German military. To the point of military soldiers carrying broom handles.google it.
Directly under her watch over the defence budget.

[Tal-qr]

lawfare by the state, to crush a popular democratic movement

[drstrangelove]

Is this even a question? Forget about the legalese, this is lawfare simple, no ifs or buts.

[theglanconer]

1984, political prosecution of dissidents.

[pamdowns]

How about Von de Luyan serves prison time for HER myriad of convictions instead of being promoted?

[CharlesGarcia-yj]

I'm 44, and retirement is becoming a concern for me. I have $20k ready but not very experienced. What are the best ways to grow?

[edmundprice]

Unless the rest of the politicians are treated in the same way... its lawfare

[reinplat]

I1:30 t is completely ridiculous to accuse Le Pen of having "enriched" her party, only for half a second later to admit that the party is "poor". Who is this complete clown speaking here?

[CheckFred]

👽👽 "We Gave You 'Law & Order' - You Gave It To Lawyers & Barristers - Who USURP All Of Your Money! - AND Your Justice!" 👽👽

[NicholasWongCQ]

For my friends, everything; for the populists, the law.

[peterdockerty]

Here in the UK there is staunching the Reform Party from overseas donations even though the other parties have had plenty. A story about banning Reform Party, we already know elections have been cancelled to stop Reform. Rumania refused to accept the election winner, same in Austria, Holland did the same so the man who’s party won are not able to have him as PM, AfD in Germany came 2nd in the election but parties refuse to have them as a coalition partner in government and they are also trying to ban AfD

[alastairharris]

the law she allegedly broke was enacted when exactly?

[casey]

I can grantee if every party was investigated for misappropriating funds they would be found guilty.

She might as well have been banned from running for littering or Jay walking.

[lastshelter]

That lady tried her best to claim that this situation is completely normal & it’s happened before, she failed. To the French public & the world, we see what is happening. Whenever a right wing politician gets within arms reach of power, the whole establishment is mobilised to stop them. The EU might not survive a Le Pen government in France & that looked very likely, so the system fought back.

[MaudMargretheRex]

Of course the law is political- it’s buildt in, to work for the interests of the “elite”, but the new thing is, that its working against this elite and follows the letter of the law.

[MrVorpalsword]

the niceties of her guilt seem fairly damning but it is the sentence that matters here - I have no idea whether any appeal will re-appraise that? Yes, it seems to be a political not verdict, but a political sentence. Judicial overreach because they don't trust the electorate is dangerous and we've seen it here in England 'political prisoner' is a phrase that shows its been happening for years, centuries even.

[SPWKarlsson]

Marine Le Pen - Western Justice or Antiwhite Lawfare?...

[AnonymousanonymousA]

Erin Marie Olszewski nurse whistleblower exposé 2020 USA?

[Thinkagain-dx]

If you've actually done the crime, you can't complain if you're convicted and sentenced.

To do otherwise is "whataboutery".

The same is true for the pathetic rioters in the UK last year