French prosecutors ask appeal court to keep ban on Marine Le Pen running for office

"French state prosecutors have asked appeal court judges to maintain a five-year election ban on the far-right leader Marine Le Pen for embezzlement of European parliament funds in a fake jobs scandal. If the judges decide to grant the request, Le Pen would probably not be able to run in France's 2027 presidential election. The state prosecutors also recommended a four-year prison sentence against Le Pen, three of which would be suspended, and one served at home with an electronic bracelet."

"They also requested a 100,000 fine. The seriousness of the charges means any other sanction would be inadequate, Stephane Madoz-Blanchet, one of the state prosecutors in the case, said on Tuesday. The final decision on sentencing will be made by a panel of appeal judges who will take several months to deliberate and return a verdict before the summer. Le Pen appealed against last year's verdict and a fresh trial at Paris's court of appeal is entering its final stages."

State prosecutors asked appeal court judges to maintain a five-year election ban on Marine Le Pen for embezzlement of European Parliament funds in a fake jobs scandal. They recommended a four-year prison sentence, three years suspended and one served at home with an electronic bracelet, plus a €100,000 fine. Prosecutors described the charges as serious and said other sanctions would be inadequate. A panel of appeal judges will deliberate for several months and issue a verdict before the summer. Le Pen appealed last year's guilty verdict and seeks to overturn the sentence to enable a 2027 presidential run. Prosecutors said the party siphoned parliamentary assistant funds from 2004 to 2016 to pay domestic staff in violation of rules.

Read at www.theguardian.com