Elections in France, Le Pen investigated for alleged illicit financing

The crimes of embezzlement, forgery and fraud are being examined by investigators

ROME – An investigation into alleged illicit financing of the electoral campaign of Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing Rassemblement National (RN) party, was launched by the Paris Prosecutor’s Office in relation to the presidential elections of 2022. The news was confirmed by the newspaper Le Monde after a preview from the broadcaster Bfm-TV. The investigation would have been opened a week ago and would follow a 2023 report by the National Commission for Election Campaign Funds and Political Financing (Cnccfp). According to Le Monde, investigators will examine hypotheses of crimes of embezzlement, forgery and fraud. In 2022 Le Pen was overtaken in the runoff by the current head of state, Emmanuel Macron. The news of the investigation was released after last Sunday’s legislative elections.