France Investigation

Cash for influence: the Moscow money paid to key Euro MP ally of Marine Le Pen

Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, the Member of the European Parliament who negotiated a Russian loan for France's far-right Rassemblement National, runs a foundation which received hundreds of thousands of euros in return for speeches in the Parliament that were favourable to Moscow, according to emails seen by Mediapart. When questioned about this Marine Le Pen, who was president of the party at the time of the Russian loan, did not respond. Marine Turchi reports.

Marine Turchi

“Do you have the slightest evidence that our positions may have been influenced in any way by obtaining a loan from a Czech-Russian bank? The answer is no!” an annoyed Marine Le Pen told the Parliamentary commission of inquiry into foreign interference in May 2023.

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