US officials tried to lobby against Marine Le Pen election ban, French judge says
Magali Lafourcade says the two envoys were convinced the far-right leader’s corruption trial had been politicalEurope live – latest updatesA French magistrate has said two Trump administration emissaries approached her seeking to lobby against an election ban on the French far-right leader...
<p>Magali Lafourcade says the two envoys were convinced the far-right leader’s corruption trial had been political</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jan/21/europe-donald-trump-davos-speech-greenland-denmark-latest-updates">Europe live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>A French magistrate has said two Trump administration emissaries approached her seeking to lobby against an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/31/marine-le-pen-verdict-throws-far-right-party-into-chaos-two-years-before-election">election ban</a> on the French far-right leader <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/marine-le-pen">Marine Le Pen</a>.</p><p>Magali Lafourcade, the secretary general of France’s human rights commission (CNCDH), an independent body that advises the government, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) she had reported the content of the meeting to the French foreign ministry immediately, fearing a potential “manipulation of the public debate in France”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/21/us-officials-lobby-marine-le-pen-election-ban">Continue reading...</a>
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