French police raid far-right party HQ over campaign financing

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00:00Another day and another legal worry for the national rally, this time in the form of a

00:05raid carried out at the party's headquarters in Paris.

00:10With all files relating to the far-right party's recent campaigns reportedly seized, party

00:15leader Jordan Bardella has condemned the inquiry.

00:18I want to tell our voters and the French people watching us that people will do everything

00:25they can to prevent us from running the country.

00:28The judicial, political and financial harassment that the national rally endures is unprecedented

00:33in the Fifth Republic.

00:37The inquiry is attempting to determine whether the national rally's former leader, Marine

00:41Le Pen, ran a presidential campaign financed by illegal loans in 2022, and whether the

00:47party invoiced fictitious services.

00:51Two dozen police officers reportedly searched the offices on Wednesday.

00:55All the data is already known, so why look inside our computers?

01:00Why else would they look for our personal documents if not to find those of the party president?

01:04If not to find out what we're preparing for the next legislative or presidential elections?

01:09They're that scared?

01:10They're that scared of losing?

01:11In March, Marine Le Pen was convicted, together with other party officials, of running a fake

01:19job scam in the EU Parliament.

01:22She's appealing the ruling, but for now has been banned from holding office for five years,

01:27which would include taking part in France's next general election.

01:32Jordan Bardella has been instructed to prepare to campaign in her place.

01:38Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the European Public Prosecutor's Office opened a separate investigation into

01:43the misuse of EU funds.

01:46The former political group, to which the national rally belonged to in the European Parliament,

01:51is suspected of improperly spending over 4 million euros.

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