Europe begins process of lifting Le Pen’s immunity over misuse of funds

European Union lawmakers began on Wednesday a process to lift French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen’s immunity over alleged misuse of EU funds, although they will not summon her before next week’s run-off vote.

French judges had asked the European parliament to lift her immunity from prosecution as a member of the EU legislature to allow further investigation into allegations she misused the funds to pay for National Front party assistants.

The French request “has been forwarded to the legal affairs committee of the European parliament, which is in charge of these issues”, the chairman of the legislature, Antonio Tajani, told lawmakers at the beginning of a formal sitting in Brussels.

This step marks the formal beginning of the procedure.

Le Pen, who staunchly opposes the EU, is campaigning for the May 7 run-off, after coming second at Sunday’s first round.

She has denounced legal proceedings against her as political interference.

Tajani said that a procedure was also launched over lifting the immunity of another member of the National Front, Marie-Christine Boutonnet, for a similar case of alleged misuse of EU funds.

In addition to the case over misused EU funds, the parliament is also assessing whether to strip Le Pen of her immunity for a separate …read more