Le Pen, who said days ago that she was confident she would win an absolute majority, downplayed the result. According to her, the victory “has just been postponed,” suggesting that the far right will enter the presidential elections in full force in 2027.
But according to Le Monde and a report by the National Commission on Campaign Accounts and Political Financing, an indictment against Le Pen was received in 2023 by the Paris prosecutor's office.
The newspaper explained that “the National Anti-Corruption Committee is an independent administrative body that supervises the process of verifying campaign accounts.”
“To ensure impartiality and promote transparency, following a series of shadow finance scandals in the 1980s, presidential candidates have had to adhere to a strict timetable and rules for their campaigns since the 1988 law. Expenditures are limited, audited and then reimbursed in accordance with the law,” he said. “The electoral outcome is for the candidate.”
The circular also explains that in order for candidates to be entitled to reimbursement of their expenses, they must submit their campaign accounts to the CNCCFP two months after the election.
The Authority verifies the supporting documentation provided for each expense and compliance with spending limits. Accounts must be certified by a certified accountant. It then has the authority to approve the invoice directly or “fix” it, i.e. add or subtract certain expenses if it has questions about specific invoices.
