Le Pen, the RN and two dozen party figures were accused of diverting more than 4 million Euros ($4.33 million) of European Parliament funds to pay France-based staff. They had argued the money was used legitimately and that the allegations had defined too narrowly what a parliamentary assistant does.

France’s far-right National Rally conceded the extent of the damage caused by a court ruling barring its leader, Marine Le Pen, from running for election. But the party insists that the fight isn’t over and that it will try to use the controversy to its advantage.