French far-right leader Marine Le Pen acknowledged a "mistake" at a key appeals trial in Paris. Le Pen admitted on Wednesday that some aides paid by the European Union worked for her party, but she denied accusations of leading a system to misuse EU Parliament funds. The appeal trial, which began last week, aims to overturn a March ruling that found her guilty of misusing funds from 2004 to 2016. In March, she received a five-year ban from holding office and other penalties. The appeals court’s decision is expected before summer. If ruled eligible, she could run in the 2027 presidential election. If not, her protégé Jordan Bardella may run.
