An EU court has confirmed that France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen must pay the European Parliament €300,000, the latest development in an investigation that alleges she misused EU funds to employ parliamentary assistants, reports the Financial Times.
The European Parliament’s watchdog has alleged that Ms Le Pen used two legislative aides who were on the EU payroll for the party’s political activity in France, allegations that are also being investigated by the Paris prosecutor’s office.
Last year Ms Le Pen refused an order from the European Parliament to repay about €336,000 in funds, which the chamber said were used inappropriately in paying the same two aides. The latest ruling upholds the earlier decision by the European Parliament. Ms Le Pen said on Tuesday that she would appeal it.
In a tweet she explained that she gave the court 655 exhibits to prove the work of her parliamentary assistant. “The court refuses to take this into account because I should have provided it to the European Parliament, which did not ask for it.”
She added: “I appeal, of course.” Ms Le Pen has consistently denied wrongdoing and claimed that the inquiry, which came in the middle of her failed presidential election campaign — was politically motivated.