Marine Le Pen has been placed under formal investigation over claims her party illegally claimed millions of euros from the European Parliament, her lawyer has said.

Rodolphe Bosselut said investigating magistrates in Paris had summoned Ms Le Pen.

She has denied any wrongdoing and plans to appeal.

The accusations concern spending by the Front National, the far-right political party of which Ms Le Pen is leader.

Investigators suspect the party took money reserved for the salaries of European parliamentary assistants and used it to fund staff working for the National Front.


Several other National Front politicians, including Ms Le Pen's father Jean-Marie Le Pen, are being investigated.

Ms Le Pen ran for President in France's May election, on an anti-immigration, anti-EU platform.

She was decisively beaten by pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron.