French Police Raid Headquarters of Far-Right Party National Rally

On September 9, French police conducted a raid at the headquarters of the far-right party National Rally, seizing documents and accounting books related to a financial investigation into the party. The party's leader, Jordan Bardella, announced the police action, stating that all documents related to the party's recent local, presidential, parliamentary, and European parliamentary electoral activities were seized, essentially covering all election activities of the party.
The French prosecution is investigating former party leader Marine Le Pen's financial conduct during her 2022 presidential campaign, as well as the party's illegal financial activities during the 2022 parliamentary and 2024 European parliament elections. Le Pen was found guilty of misappropriating political funds in March and may be barred from running in the 2027 presidential election. Bardella criticized the action on social media as a part of a new wave of harassment against the party, calling it a serious attack on diversity and democratic reform.
Additionally, police searched the headquarters of National Rally and several companies, as well as the residences of their leaders, investigating charges of fraud, money laundering, and document forgery. Le Pen has not publicly commented on the raid.