Latest news with #RN
Euractiv
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
Inside the growing judicial cloud over France's far-right party
France's far-right Rassemblement National (RN) is entering the political summer under a cloud of deepening judicial scrutiny. From alleged misuse of EU funds to questionable campaign financing, the party aiming for presidency in 2027 faces mounting legal headaches, many of which strike at the heart of its financial and political machinery. Top figures on the far right, including the party's president and MEP Jordan Bardella, have characterised the various legal proceedings as politically motivated, describing one of the cases as "clear harassment' against the party." The following is a breakdown of some of the key cases dogging Marine Le Pen's movement – past, pending, and future. At the time of publication, the party and one of its spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment. Ongoing investigation Suspect financing in the 2022 election campaigns (France) French prosecutors raided RN offices on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into the financing of the party's 2022 presidential and legislative campaigns, as well as its 2024 European election run. The probe started in 2024, after an audit by France's watchdog on political funding raised red flags about RN's financial flows. Prosecutors are looking into whether illegal private loans, inflated or fake invoices, later submitted for state reimbursement, were used to fund the party's campaigns, according to the public prosecutor. No charges have been filed so far, and all entities and individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A ruling of illegal campaign financing could undermine RN's efforts to present itself as a credible governing party and gather more financial support in the future. 'It's all meant to intimidate our lenders,' said party treasurer Kevin Pfeffer. The European Parliament group's money problem (EU) The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), tasked with investigating serious crimes affecting the bloc's financial interests, confirmed on Tuesday that it had launched an investigation into suspected misuse of EU funds, as first reported by Euractiv. An internal audit by Parliament services triggered the probe after identifying alleged fraudulent use of EU allowances to pay individuals or associations close to RN, yet unrelated to parliamentary work, between 2019 and 2024. As the investigation remains in its early stages, no charges have been filed at this time. The risks are both reputational and financial, as prosecutors could seek to reclaim over €4.3 million in allegedly misused funds – a serious threat to a party already burdened with debt. Le Pen, who told French radio RTL she was not familiar with the case, said: 'There may be administrative disagreements with the European Parliament,' and 'we are going to try, once again, to solve them." The parliamentary assistants' case: The high-stakes appeal This is the most politically damaging case, which began with allegations of fund misuse for parliamentary assistants spotted by the European fraud buster OLAF. It triggered a wide-ranging investigation by France's financial prosecutor in 2016 and resulted in several convictions in 2025, including a four-year prison sentence and a ban on running for office for Le Pen . If the ruling is upheld, it would block her from the 2027 presidential race. Appeals are ongoing, with a final decision expected by summer 2026. Le Pen also appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming procedural flaws and political bias, but her complaint was rejected on Wednesday. Campaign kits: A closed, precedent-setting case In 2024, the party received definitive condemnations over its use of standardised "campaign kits" sold to candidates during previous elections. Prosecutors deemed the setup a vehicle for illicit financing practices, resulting in final rulings that now weigh heavily on the party's legal legacy. The case also drew attention to long-time RN ally Frédéric Chatillon. According to an internal audit seen by Euractiv, one of his companies was among those flagged for suspicious payments in the EU's recent parliamentary money probe. The audit does not name him personally. Under the French justice system, repeated offences can lead to harsher potential penalties. Defamation, hate speech and other cases The RN and its members are also frequent targets – and sometimes initiators – of defamation suits, and legal complaints related to hate-related offences or misuse of public money, even as Le Pen has been working to clean up the French far right's image. In June, the spokesperson for the RN and MP Laurent Jacobelli appeared before the Thionville criminal court for having called Macronist MP Belkhir Belhaddad a 'scumbag' in October 2023, after asking him for news about Hamas. Jacobelli acknowledged "clumsy" remarks and said racism was against his philosophy. In recent weeks, MP Caroline Parmentier, a long-standing close ally of Le Pen, has been in the spotlight for having published, over 30 years, racist, antisemitic and homophobic comments in Présent, a far-right daily associated with Pétain, a collaborationist leader of Vichy France during WWII, and supported a Belgian Nazi. She denied the accusations and said her quotes were taken out of context. Last May, it was Daniel Grenon, an MP expelled from RN in October 2024 for stating that dual nationals of Maghrebian origins had 'no place in the highest echelons' of the state, was convicted of public insult and incitement to discrimination. Grenon appealed the ruling. Former MEP Maxette Pirbakas received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from public office for embezzling €57,000 from a Guadeloupe agricultural union. She was convicted of breach of trust, forgery, and using false invoices and appealed the decision, denying wrongdoing. In a separate case, she was ordered to pay over €160,000 in unpaid wages to her assistant. She said she would appeal and denounced a political and partial decision. Fréjus mayor David Rachline, a former campaign director for Le Pen and a RN vice-president, is set to stand trial in September 2025 for alleged favouritism and corruption. His home was searched by financial authorities in March. He denied all wrongdoing. Florent de Kersauson, RN regional councillor and former parliamentary candidate, is also facing charges of breach of trust and asset misappropriation. Prosecutors are seeking a two-year suspended and ineligibility sentence, with a verdict due in September. Nicoletta Ionta contributed to reporting. (mm)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
An Herbal Tea Cured Her Insomnia When Even Meds Couldn't
After enduring so many grueling nights of tossing and turning that would leave her feeling groggy the next day, Jamie Chrispens finally found a tasty way to get the rest she needs and beat the summer heat. The surprisingly simple fix? Tea for better sleep. Now, she wakes up refreshed and energized. Here's her story. I can't go on like this, Jamie groaned after hours of tossing and turning. As a night shift RN at a bustling trauma center, she needed to be alert and energetic for her patients, not tired and drained. After suffering from insomnia for two decades, Jamie was losing hope as she constantly fought to fall and stay asleep, especially in the summer. Jamie learned from researching online that sleep problems spike in warmer temperatures due to impaired thermoregulation and circadian rhythm. Over the years, her doctor prescribed Xanax to calm her anxiety and racing mind and trazodone (a heavy-duty sedative), but they did little to quiet her mind and help her drift off. She also tried over-the-counter Benadryl, which failed to help. The medication's side effects and lack of sleep left her groggy and foggy-headed, and she never felt fully rested. Over time, the chronic sleep deprivation negatively impacted her quality of life and interfered with her daily activities and responsibilities. As a busy single mom, Jamie was reluctant to try more heavy prescription medications that only made her feel worse. What am I going to do? she despaired. Then, in 2024, miserable and nearly losing hope, Jamie noticed a local herbalist she followed on Instagram, Michelle McAninch, founder of Tamarac Garden Family Farm, posting about a new organic sleep tea she created. Curious, Jamie reached out to Michelle to learn more. Michelle's Sweet Dreams Tea is a synergetic blend of five of the most effective herbs for insomnia designed to ease tension, calm the racing mind and promote sound and restful sleep—minus the adverse side effects. Michelle explained that herbs are like people; they're good on their own and even better together, and that was her inspiration for Sweet Dreams Tea for better sleep. Hops (used as a nonalcoholic flavoring in beer) and catnip both have a sedative effect and boost GABA, the brain's calming neurotransmitters, much like prescription anti-anxiety meds. They help ease stress and promote relaxation. The floral flavors of rose petals and the sweetness of lemon balm and chamomile are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoids and polyphenols that are beneficial for easing anxiety-related insomnia and emotional overload, nixing mental chatter, calming emotions and relaxing the body and mind. With nothing to lose, Jamie started drinking the tea the next day after a grueling night shift to see if it would help her sleep. She steeped the tea bag in boiling water for 15 minutes, then removed it and put it in the fridge to cool down, allowing her to get two uses from each bag. When she wanted another cup, she simply set the used tea bag out for about 10 minutes before steeping again. Jamie enjoyed the mild herbal taste and added a teaspoon of honey for extra sweetness. After her first use, she immediately noticed the tea took the edge off and helped her relax and ease into uninterrupted sleep. Hopeful, she continued to drink the tea, and by day three, she'd drift off within the hour and stay asleep. Jamie marveled at how soundly she slept and woke up feeling rested and refreshed—not groggy. Today, Jamie still drinks the tea daily for better sleep. 'I get amazing, restful sleep and feel so much better,' she says. She's energetic and no longer drags through her days. Her mind is clear, focused and finally calm. Her insomnia is finally erased, and Jamie is grateful for a natural remedy. 'This tea has changed my sleep and life,' she beams. 'I feel amazing!' Want to read about more ways to get better sleep? Keep scrolling! The Melatonin-Free Secret to Better Sleep (and a Better You) Red Light Therapy for Insomnia: One Woman's Journey to Relief Scientists Reveal Their 5 Favorite Ways to Get a Better Night's Sleep This Spring This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
LeMonde
3 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
'What explains the hatred of environmentalism that unites political forces in Europe and beyond?'
By a mischievous twist of fate, the amendment to the Gremillet bill establishing a moratorium on wind and solar energy was passed by the Assemblée Nationale on June 19, on the eve of a heatwave whose link to climate change was established by ClimaMeter, a project of the Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute and the French National Center for Scientific Research. The amendment, put forward by the right-wing Les Républicains (LR) and supported by the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), aimed to prohibit the government from processing requests to create or renew any wind or solar projects, for an indefinite period, at a time when the country has never needed an ambitious climate policy more urgently. Since then, the Assemblée Nationale overwhelmingly rejected the entire bill, and the legislation went to the Senate for a second reading scheduled for July 8 and 9. The episode, however, raises two questions: How did political parties that claim to be fit to govern France arrive at such an irresponsible position? And what explains the deepening hatred of environmentalism that now seems to be growing within the right and far right, even serving as the glue for their alliance in Europe and beyond? The question is all the more relevant because neither the RN nor LR focused much on these issues just a few years ago. The current moment clearly provides opportunities for these parties to capitalize on anger over rising energy prices, farmer protests, backlash against low-emission zones and the challenges facing business owners. In 2022, the RN tailored the climate debate to its worldview: In her presidential platform, Marine Le Pen did not describe herself as anti-environmentalist but rather as opposed to "punitive environmentalism," criticizing diktats from Brussels, denouncing "ecoterrorism," decrying the blight of wind turbines on the landscape and promoting localism, heritage protection and the use of nuclear energy.
Local France
3 days ago
- Politics
- Local France
Inside France: Far-right police raids, Tour fever and French spelling
Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. So unfair? After Marine Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement back in March, a left-wing British paper ran a column exhorting people to stop gloating about her travails. To which I would reply 'but gloating is fun'. If you are a fellow gloating fan, this has been a good week for it, as her far right Rassemblement National party is now the subject of two more criminal investigations - one into campaign financing in France and one related to alleged misuse of European Parliament funds by the group that RN was part of. Meanwhile, the European Court of Human Rights rejected a plea by Le Pen to get involved in her own legal case. RN leader Jordan Bardella, reacting to a police raid on the party's Paris HQ, said: "Never has an opposition party been subjected to such relentless persecution under the Fifth Republic." That sort of ignores the fact the following political parties in France have all been subject to similar police raids as part of various enquiries over the last decade; the centre-left Parti Socialiste, the right-wing UMP (now Les Républicains), centrist MoDem and the hard-left La France Insoumise. Police also raided the office and home of then health minister Olivier Véran when the Covid inquiry was launched in 2020. In fact these police raids are a standard part of an investigation launch in France, designed to stop people or businesses shredding paperwork that may be vital to the inquiry. They look dramatic but don't necessarily mean that anyone is guilty of anything. For example the Covid inquiry, five years later, has concluded that Véran and two of his fellow former ministers have no case to answer . But don't let that get in the way of your sob story, Jordan . . . Advertisement Touring France This has been the week when France goes bike crazy as the Tour de France begins. I have pretty much zero interest in cycling, but it's hard not to get swept up in the atmosphere that the Tour generates, especially if it comes past your home. As John Lichfield points out in his column this week , the Tour is more or less unique among major global sports events in that it comes to you and it's free. That alone may explain its popularity, but of course it also has deep cultural resonances in France - although perhaps not every local business along the route needs to get involved in Tour-themed decorations. Pendant ce temps là, à Valenciennes. — Dans la Musette (@DansLaMusette) July 6, 2025 READ ALSO : 7 reasons to watch the Tour de France (even if you have no interest in cycling)✎ Obviously the best thing about the Tour, however, is that it employs a man whose actual job is to go ahead of the peloton and convert 'cock and balls' graffiti into cute cartoons of rabbits and butterflies before the TV cameras arrive - meet Patrick, the effaceur de zizis (willy eraser) . Advertisement Spelling mistakes This week a reader sent me a link to a very funny sketch about the insane complexity of French spelling - which has 12 different ways of spelling the sound 's' - by two Belgian linguists and comedians. There's also an interesting dive into the history of the Academie française and the political reasons why it became so prescriptive and French spelling so elaborate (and likely to catch out language learners). It ends with a deathless quote from an Academie member who wrote in 1673 that French spelling is complicated in order to distinguish "people of letters from ignoramuses and simple women". The full sketch is 18 minutes long (and in French) but well worth it if you have the time. Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
LeMonde
5 days ago
- Business
- LeMonde
New probe underlines recurring money problems of France's far-right RN
Where to find money? For the past decade, that question has been the primary concern of Marine Le Pen's far-right party, the Rassemblement National (RN). From daily operations to electoral campaigns, the search for funds has obsessed the party chaired by Le Pen's lieutenant Jordan Bardella since 2021. Its financial practices have again come under judicial scrutiny. The Paris prosecutor's office ordered searches at RN headquarters on Wednesday, July 9, as part of an investigation launched in 2024 into the party's extensive use of loans from private individuals. To justify a funding model unmatched by any other French party on such a scale, the RN has cited the lack of favorable responses from French banks to its requests for loans. On this issue, Le Pen and her supporters have repeatedly called for the creation of a "bank of democracy" to fund political parties without relying on private banks. "For us, it would be easier to have a single bank loan than to manage 200 contracts," said RN treasurer Kévin Pfeffer. "We employ one person full time just to manage these contracts and pay the interest," Pfeffer explained, arguing, "It's our last option for funding ourselves."
