Paris prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into allegations of illegal financing related to Marine Le Pen’s 2022 presidential election

campaign. The far-right leader spent approximately €11.5 million in her attempt to defeat Emmanuel Macron.

The investigation commenced on July 2, following a report from the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing (CNCCFP) last year, which highlighted irregularities in Le Pen's campaign funding. The probe will examine accusations of embezzlement, forgery, and fraud, as well as allegations that Le Pen accepted an unauthorized loan during her campaign.

Le Pen, the leader of Rassemblement National (RN), ran against Macron in both the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, losing on both occasions. In each campaign, the CNCCFP flagged certain expenses as problematic. Le Pen and her party have consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding their campaign finances.

In a separate matter, Le Pen is set to stand trial along with 27 others over alleged misuse of European Union funds, charges she denies. Photo by Foto-AG Gymnasium Melle, Wikimedia commons.