Le Pen charged with misuse of EU funds

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been charged with misusing European Parliament funds relating to the payment of parliamentary aides.

The prosecutor’s office said Le Pen was handed preliminary charges of breach of trust and complicity in breach of trust concerning two of her aides when she served at the European Parliament.

She was elected to the French parliament this month so gave up her seat in the European Parliament.

One of the aides in question, Catherine Griset, was charged in February in the case. Le Pen is suspected of using parliamentary funds to pay Ms Griset from 2009 to 2016 and bodyguard Thierry Legier from 2014 to 2016 for working as aides in Strasbourg, seat of the European Parliament, even though they have clear roles in her farright National Front party.

Le Pen is also charged with complicity in breach of trust in her role as president of the National Front from 2014 to 2016.