EU Parliament to begin process of lifting Le Pen immunity over misused funds

Marine Le Pen (R), French National Front (FN) political party leader and candidate for French 2017 presidential election, and her bodyguard Thierry Legier leave the haidresser in front of her campaign headquarters in Paris, France, April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Parliament is expected to begin the process to lift the immunity of France's far-right presidential challenger Marine Le Pen on Wednesday for her alleged misuse of European Union funds, parliament officials said.

French judges have asked European lawmakers to remove immunity of the National Front candidate, who is a member of the EU legislature, to allow further investigation into allegations she abuse of funds to pay for party assistants.