Marine Le Pen's Legal Battle: Allegations of Embezzlement Rock Political Future

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party are on trial for allegedly embezzling European Parliament funds. Le Pen denies any wrongdoing, claiming the case is politically motivated. This trial threatens her ambitions to succeed President Macron and could lead to severe penalties if found guilty.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has firmly denied any allegations of wrongdoing as she and her National Rally party faced trial on Monday, accused of embezzling European Parliament funds. This case has the potential to derail her political career.

Le Pen appeared confident upon her arrival at the Paris court, insisting that they have not violated any European Parliament rules. She pledged to present 'extremely serious and extremely solid arguments' before the judges.

The trial, expected to last nine weeks, is being closely monitored by Le Pen's political opponents, especially given her strong position as a contender in the 2027 presidential race. The current centrist and conservative-dominated government could see this trial as an opportunity to sideline National Rally lawmakers.

(With inputs from agencies.)