The scandal of the French far-right leader Le Pen's embezzlement of public funds has shaken the political circles in Europe and America. US President Trump claimed that Le Pen was subjected to "political persecution" and called for her release. According to Agence France-Presse, French Prime Minister François Baroin said on April 5 that Trump's remarks on Le Pen's case were an "interference" in France's internal affairs.
In an interview with Le Parisien, when asked whether Trump's relevant remarks constituted "interference," the centrist French prime minister answered "yes." He said, "Interference has become a universal rule of the world, and major political debates no longer have boundaries."
Previously, it was reported that Baroin expressed "unease" over Le Pen's verdict but as the head of government, he would not comment on judicial decisions.
French Prime Minister François Baroin. Le Parisien
Le Pen was sentenced by a French court on March 31 for embezzlement of public funds, sentenced to four years in prison, two years suspended, and two years under electronic monitoring outside prison. In addition, Le Pen was banned from running for office for five years, and this decision took effect immediately. This means that Le Pen may not be able to run for the French presidency in 2027.
Le Pen is currently the chairman of the National Rally parliamentary group in the French National Assembly. She has performed outstandingly in recent French polls. She ran in the French presidential elections in 2017 and 2022 and reached the second round, but both times she lost to current French President Macron.
Trump linked Le Pen's plight to his own experiences. On April 4, he posted on the platform "Truth Social," saying, "The persecution of Le Pen is another example of European leftists using legal battles to suppress freedom of speech and review political opponents, and this time they even locked their opponent in jail."
"I don't know Le Pen, but I appreciate her efforts over the years. Just before she was about to achieve great success, they accused her of a minor crime that she might not even know anything about," Trump wrote.
According to Politico Europe, some conservative figures view the verdict against Le Pen as an attempt to undermine democracy, aiming to prevent this powerful contender from the opposition from running for the French presidency. Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán and Trump's close advisor Musk condemned the verdict in Le Pen's case.
The report also stated that the prosecution presented several solid pieces of evidence, and the defense did not object to the substance of the charges. The main controversy in this case lies in the judge's decision to immediately implement the ban on Le Pen's candidacy, regardless of whether she appeals. It is worth noting that in France, judges usually delay punishment during the appeal period.
Le Pen said on the evening of March 31 that this verdict was politically motivated and aimed at "disqualifying" her from the next presidential election. She will appeal "as soon as possible."
This article is an exclusive contribution from Guancha Observer and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7490114520849941001/
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