Prosecutors from the Paris judicial court demanded this Wednesday, November 13, 2024, the conviction of all 25 executives of the National Front as well as the party, tried for embezzlement of European funds through allegedly fictitious employment of parliamentary assistants. Ineligibility with provisional execution was required for all the defendants, including Marine Le Pen who would be deprived of a candidacy for the presidency in 2027. And Louis Aliot who could be forced to leave his seat as mayor of Perpignan as soon as the decision of the court in early 2025.
Sitting in the front row on the dock, Louis Aliot, with a tense face, whispers a few words in the ear of Marine Le Pen. Delve back into the notes he scribbles without interruption. Then, intermittently, looks up, breathes and shakes his head at the prosecutors who are pressing where it hurts. Dissecting in the smallest detail their accusations against the 25 executives of the National Front (now RN) and the party. Going through the 46 contracts “totally artificial” parliamentary assistants assigned to far-right MEPs, and financed by European funds such as “dressing” to actually save money on FN jobs. “A case of a completely unprecedented nature in terms of its scale, its duration, par its systematic and systemic character and par the ostensible contempt of its authors”. “A whole organized system, sustained for 10 years and orchestrated by Jean-Marie Le Pen, then Marine Le Pen to serve, beyond the party, the personal interests and political aspirations of its own leaders”. “A war machine implemented for partisan enrichment of more than 4 million euros, from the pockets of their voters”, bump Nicolas Barret and Louise Neyton, increasing the load a little more over the course of their successive interventions. And gradually revealing the severity of their requisitions before demanding, after almost 8 hours, penalties “copies”. And Louis Aliot doesn't cut it.
“Mr. Aliot’s retrospective reconstruction of his assistant’s employment is nonsense!”
“Let’s be serious!” For the prosecution, Laurent Salles never served as parliamentary assistant to Louis Aliot. Although paid €2,500 per month for full time from European funds, the “collaborator” held the position of assistant to Yann Le Pen-Maréchal in the organization of major National Front demonstrations. No recruitment interview, dismissal conditions “unclear”. “No proof provided of any actual work by Laurent Salles“, insists the prosecutor. No mention of meetings linked to the Catalan elected official on the assistant's agenda. No communication with Louis Aliot who “nevertheless has a lot of exchanges with his other real assistants”. No sending of emails or SMS, except for a single message relating to the party and an invitation for a galette des rois at the federation of 92. Not to mention “the not very credible and variable statements of Mr. Aliot”, who “did not respond to the summons, then who refused to explain himself during the investigation”. “The two will end up admitting that it was a role of sorting mail, “twice a day” according to Louis Aliot”, quips the prosecutor.“But we still don't understand what Laurent Salles was supposed to do with these letters… Mr. Aliot's a posteriori reconstruction of his assistant's employment is nonsense!”
“The sanitation of democratic and political life”
Then the hammer blow falls. For an embezzlement of public funds estimated at 30,000 euros, the prosecution requires the mayor of Perpignan to be sentenced to 18 months in prison, 12 of which are suspended, and a fine of €30,000. But also and above all, as for Marine Le Pen and all of the defendants in this case, an additional sentence “legitimate” ineligibility set at a duration of 3 years for the vice-president of the National Rally. Prosecutors are demanding provisional execution of this decision. “Everything has always been done to postpone the court decision and its execution, but a sentence must be imposed within a reasonable time and here, this applies with particular acuteness because it aims to prevent recidivism and clean up the democratic and political life. Which impacts Louis Aliot much more than the others. If this provisional execution is pronounced, the deputies can continue to the end of their mandate. However, local elected officials (mayors or regional councilors) are immediately declared to have resigned after the judgment, which should be rendered at the beginning of 2025. Whoever is at the head of the most important city in France which has moved to the far right would thus lose his position. sits in the moment.
Louis Aliot, with a closed face, leaves the courtroom, following in the footsteps of Marine Le Pen. In Perpignan, on the side of the municipality which did not want to believe in this threat of ineligibility, discussions should undoubtedly have already started. Now forced to think of a plan B. Not an easy task there either. Who could achieve consensus in the majority and take the place of the frontist boss?
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