Overview

• Marine Le Pen is facing trial alongside 25 co-defendants over allegations of misusing European funds to pay party staff instead of parliamentary assistants.
• Le Pen maintains her innocence, repeatedly asserting that there is 'zero proof' of the accusations against her.
• The case involves contracts worth €470,000 from 2008 to 2016, with accusations that staff were paid for party work rather than parliamentary duties.
• Le Pen argues that the roles of her assistants were political and that their activities were known and accepted by the European Parliament.
• The trial is significant for Le Pen's political future, as a conviction could lead to ineligibility and financial penalties for the Rassemblement National.