French and German political parties have been known to utilize creative financing methods to support their party work. In Germany, the Greens have a network of affiliated organizations that provide a safety net and income for unsuccessful party members. This is made possible by state funding, which is ensured by elected representatives of all parties.
It is no secret that the assistant positions, which elected representatives can fill with party members, primarily serve to reward loyal party workers. This is a practice common to all parties, with no known exceptions. It would be unrealistic to expect political opponents to be considered for these positions.
Members of parliament have a significant degree of autonomy in selecting their staff, as they are more likely to choose individuals who share their political views and are committed to the party. The truth is that well-paid positions can also serve as a form of compensation for past party work and a guarantee of future involvement in election campaigns and internal party politics.
It is challenging to verify what the employees of elected representatives do with their salaries, as it is difficult to separate party work from parliamentary work. Meetings with party members are often also meetings with voters and internal party debates are often precursors to parliamentary debates and legislation. Even the act of putting up election posters can be seen as a form of public outreach for the parliamentary work of the party’s faction.
There is nothing unusual about this practice and it is not unique to Germany or France. The recent case of Marine Le Pen and other members of the Rassemblement National (RN) in France, who were accused of using European Parliament funds to pay for party employees in France, is an example of this blurred line.
The prosecution claims that the employees in question worked exclusively for the party outside of the parliament, citing examples such as a bodyguard, a secretary, the chief of staff of Le Pen and a graphic designer. However, many of these individuals were unable to describe their work routine and some had never met their boss or set foot in the parliament building.
While these arguments may be weak, the prosecution and the court’s verdict are also open to question. The real issue is that the court has been used as a tool to prevent Marine Le Pen’s potential victory in the 2024 French presidential election and to slow the rise of the RN. The decision is a political one, aimed at halting the growth of the RN and maintaining the status quo.