Martin Schulz: Le Pen's 'Cold-Bloodedness' Still Angers Me
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
Interview
Named sources
Outcome reported
- Martin Schulz, former EU Parliament president, initiated proceedings against Marine Le Pen in 2015 over suspected misuse of EU funds.
- Le Pen was initially sentenced to prison and banned from running for office, but an appeals court reduced the sentence to a year under house arrest.
- Le Pen plans to appeal the decision and run for president in 2027, maintaining her image despite the legal challenges.
Martin Schulz, who once served as the president of the European Parliament, expressed his enduring frustration with Marine Le Pen's "cold-bloodedness." Schulz initiated proceedings against Le Pen in 2015, suspecting that the far-right National Rally (formerly Front National) and its leader had been using EU funds to pay party employees.
His suspicions led to an investigation by the EU's anti-fraud office and French authorities. In 2025, Le Pen faced a conviction, including a prison sentence and a five-year ban from running in elections. However, a recent appeals court ruling modified the sentence, requiring her to wear an electronic ankle tag for one year.
Despite this legal setback, Le Pen intends to challenge the verdict and remains poised to compete for the presidency in 2027. Her strategy appears to involve portraying herself as a victim of a politically motivated justice system, a narrative that Schulz finds particularly galling.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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