

The MEPs and assistants of the far-right Front National (FN) party had expected the prosecution's sentencing request to be harsh, but it was merciless. On Wednesday, November 13, the prosecutors requested a five-year prison sentence for far-right leader Marine Le Pen – she had been at risk of 10 years. Three years of this term would be a suspended sentence, while the other two years would be a "convertible" sentence, meaning there would be a possibility of partial release with an electronic monitoring bracelet. They also demanded a €30,000 fine, as well as a five-year ban on being elected to public office effective immediately, even if she were to appeal.
After nine hours of closing arguments, prosecutors Louise Neyton and Nicolas Barret requested prison sentences, often suspended, for the 24 other defendants, as well as heavy fines and bans from running for public office, effective immediately.
"The only thing the prosecution was interested in was Marine Le Pen, to be able to demand her exclusion from political life," protested Le Pen as she left the hearing, adding that she also saw their requests as harboring a desire to "bankrupt the party." The former president of the Rassemblement National (RN, the FN's new name since 2018) denounced "the prosecution's desire to deprive the French people of the ability to vote for whomever they wish." If the court were to follow through on the prosecution's requests, Le Pen would not be required to resign from her office as a member of French Parliament. However, the immediate application of her ban on being elected to office would prevent her from running in the 2027 presidential election.
RN lawmaker Julien Odoul, whose contract, in the prosecutors' words, "combines just about every flaw," and "who came to the hearing to say something close to nonsense," would also not be required to resign. For him, the prosecution has requested a 10-month suspended prison sentence, a €20,000 fine and a one-year ban on election to office, also effective immediately even if appealed. The same would go for MP Timothée Houssin, for whom the prosecution has demanded the same sentence, though with only a €10,000 fine.
However, lacking a precedent for such a case, the possible consequences for the two defendants who are current MEPs are less clear-cut. They are Catherine Griset, for whom an 18-month suspended sentence, a €50,000 fine and a two-year ban on election to office have been requested; and Nicolas Bay, for whom the prosecutors requested 18 months' imprisonment, of which 12 would be suspended, €30,000 and a three-year ban on running for office.
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