France’s Marine Le Pen faces court on charges of embezzling EU funds

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen speaks to the media as she arrives at the court house in Paris (Thibault Camus/AP)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen strongly denied committing any wrongdoing as she and her National Rally party stand trial over the suspected embezzlement of European Parliament funds.

The nine-week trial at a Paris court is a critical juncture for Ms Le Pen, who is expected to be a strong contender in France’s next presidential election in 2027. A guilty verdict could significantly affect her political career and aspirations.