Trial of FN parliamentary assistants: "I held up very well" in front of the judge, recalls the former party treasurer

In March 2025, Marine Le Pen and 23 party members, including treasurer Wallerand de Saint-Just, were sentenced. Four months later, the latter recalled his testimony before the judge. He is now preparing for his appeal.

On March 31, 2025, Marine Le Pen was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which were suspended, and five years of ineligibility, effective immediately, in the case of the FN's fictitious parliamentary assistants in the European Parliament. Twenty-three other party members were also sentenced. Most have appealed. Among them was Wallerand de Saint-Just, 75. The former FN treasurer was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of ineligibility.

A forest of microphones and cameras awaits Wallerand de Saint-Just as he leaves the Paris court on March 31. The former treasurer of the National Front and current legal advisor to the National Rally (RN) stops for a few seconds in front of the journalists. He then denounces a judgment motivated by " political and not legal " considerations. More than four months after the deliberations, Wallerand de Saint-Just's anger has subsided, but his analysis of the " harsh " judgment remains the same: " What surprised us most in this judgment is that it is written in black and white that the court is ensuring that Marine Le Pen cannot run in the presidential election. It is extremely shocking." Through the decision of the Paris court, Wallerand de Saint-Just sees the sign of "a very particular will on the part of the magistrates " which does not surprise the former lawyer, according to whom "we often see the courts being used in political conflicts."

However, despite the feeling of injustice that has gripped him since his conviction, Wallerand de Saint-Just is in a combative state of mind. He also assures that he did not feel any " dejection " following the first instance judgment. " We are fighters and we absolutely felt that we had to go back to the fight since we had not managed to convince the judges of our position, which is that of acquittal. We consider ourselves entirely innocent. "

In order to demonstrate his " innocence " and that of the FN in this case, Wallerand de Saint-Just testified for eight hours on November 4, 2024. He remembers being able to " explain himself completely " and having " held up very well ," but according to him, the conviction of the president of the court, Bénédicte de Perthuis, was " made " even before the deposition. " She condemned me and severely ." A question now arises in view of the appeal trial: should we change our defense strategy, even if it means partially recognizing the facts in order to avoid the sentence of ineligibility being accompanied by provisional execution? " There is no need to change strategy ," protests Wallerand de Saint-Just, " since our conviction is that it is legitimate, legally, morally, politically, for the parliamentary assistant to be able to work with the party on which the MEP depends."

Wallerand de Saint-Just, along with the 23 defendants who appealed, will therefore set about proving " this vision " of the role of the parliamentary assistant during the appeal trial. This will take place in a few months, with a judgment expected next summer.