A large-scale search is underway this Wednesday at the headquarters of the National Rally, located in Paris's 8th arrondissement. The operation, led by the Financial Brigade since 8:50 a.m., is mobilizing around twenty police officers accompanied by two investigating judges, according to information published by Jordan Bardella on the social network X.
"Since 8:50 this morning, the headquarters of the National Rally, including the offices of its leaders, has been the subject of a search carried out by around twenty police officers from the Financial Brigade, armed and wearing bulletproof vests, accompanied by two investigating judges.", wrote the president of the RN in a message published early this morning.
He added that all accounting documents, emails and electoral archives were seized: "All emails, documents and accounting records of the leading opposition party have been seized, without us knowing at this stage exactly what the grievances are based on."
According to Jordan Bardella, this search targets all files related to regional, presidential, legislative and European campaigns organized between 2021 and 2024. He denounces a politically motivated operation: "This spectacular and unprecedented operation is clearly part of a new harassment operation. It is a serious attack on pluralism and democratic change. Never has an opposition party suffered such relentless persecution under the Fifth Republic."
Investigation opened for alleged campaign finance fraud
The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that a judicial investigation was opened in July 2024, following several reports submitted by the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing and by individuals. The investigation concerns facts "likely to cover the qualification of fraud."
According to the same judicial source, the investigations are specifically targeting the 2022 presidential and legislative campaigns, as well as the 2024 European elections. Investigators are seeking to determine whether illegal loans from individuals may have been used to finance the electoral activities of the party or certain candidates affiliated with the RN, in violation of the Electoral Code.
There are indications that these loans may have circumvented strict rules governing political donations and funding, particularly regarding the identity of lenders, authorized limits and transparency of financial flows...
