Marine Le Pen on trial over Muslim prayer remarks

France’s far-right National Front party leader Marine Le Pen said the government was using the judiciary to persecute her as she went on trial for comparing Muslim street prayers to the Nazi occupation.

Le Pen, who polls say is likely to win a regional election in December, has tried to broaden the party’s appeal since she took over in 2011 from her father.

He was convicted several times of inciting racial hatred and Le Pen has made efforts to distance herself from him.