Le Pen's allies allege witch-hunt amid possible ban from French politics

Allies of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen have accused the judiciary of a witch-hunt and undue meddling in democracy after prosecutors requested she face an obligatory five-year ban from public office if convicted of misusing European Union funds.

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The prosecutors' move to seek a "provisional execution" on the public office ban - a tough, rarely used tool that means the ban would stand irrespective of any appeal - casts doubt on Ms Le Pen's chances of running in the 2027 presidential election.

Ms Le Pen and co-accused members of her National Rally (RN) party deny using EU funds to pay party workers in France. They denounce the case as a politically motivated attempt to keep the RN from power.

"It's an attack on democracy," RN party chief Jordan Bardella wrote on X after the prosecutors made their request.

Their furious response echoes the frequent attacks by US President-elect Donald Trump against the US judicial system over the legal woes he has faced since his first term.

Judges and prosecutors around the world are wading into thorny political debates. While some applaud them for holding politicians to account, critics rail against mission creep by unelected despots in robes.