The Paris prosecutor's office has confirmed a police raid on the National Rally as part of an ongoing inquiry into the party's campaign financing since 2024, prompting accusations of harassment from the party's leadership.
French Police Conduct Raid on National Rally Offices Amid Campaign Finance Investigation
French Police Conduct Raid on National Rally Offices Amid Campaign Finance Investigation
Authorities have launched an investigation into the National Rally's adherence to France's campaign finance regulations.
In a striking development, French police raided the National Rally party headquarters on July 9, 2025, as part of a broader investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office into potential violations of campaign finance laws. This effective operation, involving around 20 armed officers, aimed to uncover irregularities linked to the party's finances during its previous electoral campaigns.
Jordan Bardella, the party's president, publicly criticized the police action, claiming it represented an unprecedented assault on opposition party rights in France, potentially threatening the nation's democratic integrity. He expressed frustrations over the seizure of crucial party records and indicated a lack of clarity regarding the allegations faced by the National Rally.
The inquiry was initiated following multiple alerts about the party’s funding sources for the 2022 presidential and legislative campaigns as well as the 2024 European Parliament elections. Investigators are particularly looking into possible illegal private loans and suspicious invoicing related to campaign expenses, both of which could breach French electoral financing regulations.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the National Rally retains a strong political foothold as the largest opposition entity in France’s lower house of Parliament, with its long-time figurehead Marine Le Pen noted for her previous presidential candidate runs against Emmanuel Macron. As the situation unfolds, the implications of this investigation for France's political landscape remain to be seen.
Jordan Bardella, the party's president, publicly criticized the police action, claiming it represented an unprecedented assault on opposition party rights in France, potentially threatening the nation's democratic integrity. He expressed frustrations over the seizure of crucial party records and indicated a lack of clarity regarding the allegations faced by the National Rally.
The inquiry was initiated following multiple alerts about the party’s funding sources for the 2022 presidential and legislative campaigns as well as the 2024 European Parliament elections. Investigators are particularly looking into possible illegal private loans and suspicious invoicing related to campaign expenses, both of which could breach French electoral financing regulations.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the National Rally retains a strong political foothold as the largest opposition entity in France’s lower house of Parliament, with its long-time figurehead Marine Le Pen noted for her previous presidential candidate runs against Emmanuel Macron. As the situation unfolds, the implications of this investigation for France's political landscape remain to be seen.
