blow for François Bayrou, bad sign for Marine Le Pen

The centrist leader and ten other people are accused of having used European funds to hire parliamentary assistants who would have worked, at least partially, for the party for five years, from 2009 to 2014. The European Parliament estimates the damage at 1, 4 million euros. And what strikes first with this reference, it is the duration of the procedure. “Finally !”, exclaimed François Bayrou on Thursday 9 March. Because it has been going on for six years! François Bayrou had resigned from the government as soon as a preliminary investigation was opened in June 2017, a few weeks after being appointed Keeper of the Seals. Two other MoDem ministers had also resigned, Marielle de Sarnez, who died two years ago, and Sylvie Goulard who was dismissed yesterday.

>> To read: We explain to you the affair of the European parliamentary assistants of the MoDem

The holding of a trial is of course a blow for François Bayrou, even if he remains presumed innocent and repeats that there will soon be nothing left of the accusation. But whatever the legal outcome, this file will have polluted the end of his political career. In 2017, he therefore found himself on the sidelines, out of government, after a month. And the announcement of this trial comes as he has had doubts for a few months about a possible presidential candidacy in 2027. After having Emmanuel Macron elected in 2017, he gladly dreamed of being a successor in four years. After all, François Bayrou is barely 71 years old, the same age as Jean-Luc Mélenchon, six years younger than Lula and nine younger than Biden…

This correctional referral may also be a bad omen for Marine Le Pen

The National Rally is accused of having set up a roughly similar financing system, that is to say of having dipped into the coffers of the European Parliament to pay for assistants who worked for the party. In Brussels, the damage is estimated at between five and seven million euros and Marine Le Pen is indicted for embezzlement of public funds, like many RN leaders.

After having polluted the presidential campaign of 2017, in particular that of François Fillon, a perfume of business could well float again on that of 2027.