Pronouncing the ineligibility of Marine Le Pen, as requested by the prosecution in the context of the RN trial, “would amount to preventing her from running again in the presidential election. And therefore to depriving the French of the choice of this poster”, considers the latter's niece, Marion Maréchal.
Marion Maréchal is not afraid of words: she goes so far as to mention a potential “decapitation of the opposition” this Thursday, November 14 on BFMTV-RMC. In the sights of the far-right European MP: the prosecution's requisitions against Marine Le Pen, the day before, as part of the National Rally trial.
While the prosecution is demanding not only a five-year prison sentence, including two against the leader of the RN, but also five years of ineligibility, her niece declares:
“It would be a real denial of democracy. It would amount to preventing Marine Le Pen from running again in the presidential election. And therefore depriving the French of the choice of this poster.”
A speech similar to that heard over the past few hours from far-right leaders, who do not hesitate to call justice into question. The main interested party herself denounced “a desire by the prosecution to deprive the French of the ability to vote for whoever they wish”, at the end of the requisitions.
“It’s not up to the judges to decide”
Excluded from Éric Zemmour's Reconquest party last June, Marion Maréchal nonetheless remains in agreement with certain comments made by the former presidential candidate, who denounced a “government of judges” this Wednesday.
The elected official believes that “it is not up to the judges (…) to decide who can or cannot run in the presidential election”. “I consider that this ineligibility sentence should not be able to be pronounced in France. This should not be part of the judge's options in the law. It is up to the French to choose whether they want to reappoint someone or not,” adds -she.
A “new” system
The case concerning Marine Le Pen is that of suspicions of fictitious jobs at the FN, which became RN in 2018, aimed at diverting money from the European Parliament for the benefit of the party. In addition to Marine Le Pen, and her far-right party, 24 other people are on trial.
This Wednesday, the prosecution stressed that the “system” put in place, which was “strengthened” with the arrival of Marine Le Pen at the head of the party in 2011, is “unprecedented” in its duration, the ” amount” of the embezzlements (4.5 million) and its “organized, systematized character”.
The potential ineligibility of the three-time presidential candidate could be declared under the so-called “Sapin 2” law, which came into force on December 11, 2016. That is, within 20 days, within the period of the acts alleged against Marine Le Pen ( 2011-2016).
Due to this law, the penalty of ineligibility of the head of the RN deputies would become mandatory, and no longer optional, apart from if the court “by a specially motivated decision” decides otherwise, as recalled The World.
The defense is due to plead starting Monday and the trial is scheduled to end on November 27. The court will not make its decision for several months.
