Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen went on trial in Paris on Monday on charges of abusing European Parliament funds by hiring aides provided at taxpayer expense for party matters.

To limit the impact of her trial for misappropriating public funds, Marine Le Pen, who risks being banned from running for office, wants to 'get involved in the match,' taking the spotlight despite a high risk of backlash.

For Le Pen, the hearings risk overshadowing a record performance in July’s snap parliamentary poll that handed the RN 126 seats – enough to sway Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s shaky minority governme