Parliamentary Assistants Scandal: European Parliament Demands Over €3.5 Million from France’s National Rally

Already handed a heavy sentence by the French judiciary in the case of fictitious jobs at the European Parliament, France’s far-right National Rally (RN) is now facing the financial fallout. The European Parliament has officially demanded the payment of over €3.5 million in damages from the party and the 23 other individuals convicted in the case — including its figurehead Marine Le Pen.

This demand comes as part of the provisional enforcement of the judgment issued by the Paris judicial court on March 31, allowing the European institution to reclaim the funds immediately, without waiting for the appeal verdict, expected in summer 2026.

A Significant Financial Blow for Misuse of Public Funds

The amount corresponds to public money misused for years to pay parliamentary assistants of the then-Front National (now RN), who were in fact working for the party. The total damage was estimated at around €4.5 million, but €1 million has already been repaid during the proceedings.

The remaining sum breaks down as follows:

• €3.25 million for economic damages,

• €200,000 for moral prejudice,

• and €80,000 in legal fees.

“The European Parliament has a duty to recover these sums, as it represents the taxpayers of all member states,” said the Parliament’s lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve, emphasizing that “this is public money.”

Political and Financial Consequences for the Far-Right Party

Among the convicted is Marine Le Pen, who was sentenced to four years in prison, including two years under house arrest with electronic monitoring, and five years of ineligibility. The RN was also fined €2 million, of which €1 million is firm, and €1 million was confiscated during the investigation.

Despite the seriousness of the ruling, the RN appears financially capable of repaying the amount, thanks largely to its strong performance in recent elections, which has secured it around €15 million per year in public funding. However, this judicial blow could jeopardize the party’s ambitions for the 2027 presidential election, particularly its goal of self-financing its campaign.

“They want to destroy us politically and financially,” Marine Le Pen declared following the verdict, suggesting a deliberate attempt to eliminate both her candidacy and the party itself.

While the RN may request a payment extension from the president of the Paris Court of Appeal, the financial and reputational pressure is already mounting, leaving the far-right party deeply tarnished by this long-running scandal.