Procès du RN: l’heure des réquisitions pour Marine Le Pen et ses coprévenus
Après un mois et demi de procès, c’est l’heure des réquisitions pour Marine Le Pen, le Rassemblement national et 24 autres prévenus, accusés d’avoir détourné des fonds du Parlement européen au profit du parti d’extrême droite.Les réquisitions à deux voix doivent commencer vers 9H30 mercredi, et durer toute la journée. Après des considérations générales, les deux représentants du parquet, Louise Neyton et Nicolas Barret, devraient commencer par développer leur analyse du “système” qui a selon eux été mis en place au Front national (devenu Rassemblement national) entre 2004 et 2016.Selon l’accusation, un “système de gestion centralisé” a été établi pour “vider” les enveloppes de 21.000 euros par mois auxquelles les députés européens avaient le droit, pour rémunérer des assistants parlementaires “fictifs” qui travaillaient en réalité pour le parti (en tant que garde du corps, graphiste ou secrétaire), en vue de “soulager les finances”.Les procureurs devraient ensuite s’attarder sur le cas de chacun des prévenus : les neuf ex-eurodéputés frontistes, leurs 12 anciens assistants parlementaires, les experts-comptables et le trésorier, et enfin le parti lui-même. Au total, on compte 26 prévenus, jugés devant le tribunal correctionnel pour détournement de fonds publics, complicité ou recel de ce délit.Enfin, en fin d’après-midi ou début de soirée, les procureurs devraient annoncer les peines requises contre chacun.Ils encourent des peines allant jusqu’à 10 ans d’emprisonnement, un million d’euros d’amende et une peine d’inéligibilité – qui pourrait sérieusement entraver les ambitions de Marine Le Pen à la présidentielle de 2027.Si une telle peine était prononcée, elle aurait “des conséquences extrêmement graves”, a-t-elle plaidé à la barre. “Cela aurait pour effet de me priver d’être candidate à la présidentielle, voilà ”.”Derrière il y a 11 millions de personnes qui ont voté pour le mouvement que je représente. Donc demain potentiellement, ce sont des millions et des millions de Français qui de fait se verraient priver de leur candidat à la présidentielle”, avait-elle soutenu.- “Innocence” -Depuis l’ouverture le 30 septembre de ce procès, où elle a assisté à quasiment toutes les audiences, la triple candidate à la présidentielle a été interrogée sous plusieurs casquettes: celle d’ancienne députée européenne, pour s’expliquer sur des contrats litigieux conclus avec certains de ses assistants parlementaires, celle d’ancienne cheffe du parti (entre 2011 et 2016), et enfin en tant que représentante du Rassemblement national, jugé en tant que personne morale – elle a eu un pouvoir de l’actuel président Jordan Bardella pour cela.A chaque fois, elle a clamé son “innocence”, celle de son parti et de ses coprévenus. “Aucun” système, mais beaucoup de “mensonges”, de “fictions” et de “malentendus”,  a-t-elle juré à la barre, disant aussi son “sentiment” que l’opinion du tribunal “était déjà faite”. Tout au long du procès, elle a esquivé les questions qui dérangent, parfois réécrit le dossier. Et s’est enflammée lors de longs monologues sur la “réalité” de la vie d’un parti politique, désireuse de l’expliquer encore et encore… Quitte à exaspérer le tribunal qui lui a sèchement et longuement dit son ras-le-bol, lors de son dernier interrogatoire mercredi : “Ici, on n’est pas en politique, on est devant un tribunal correctionnel”, lui a lancé la présidente Bénédicte de Perthuis. Pendant les interrogatoires (une trentaine au total), les prévenus, bien en mal d’apporter des preuves de travail ou de justifier des échanges de mails compromettants – parlant de “caser” telle personne sur un contrat, “transférer” ou “passer” untel d’un député à un autre -, ont partagé une défense similaire, “frisant parfois l’absurde”, comme a dit l’avocat du Parlement européen Patrick Maisonneuve dans sa plaidoirie mardi.”La plupart des prévenus m’ont semblé assez prisonniers d’un système de défense collective”, suivant en rang “la ligne fixée” par la cheffe, Marine Le Pen, a-t-il estimé. Le Parlement européen a évalué son préjudice financier à 4,5 millions d’euros, mais n’en réclame que 3,4 (une partie ayant déjà été remboursée). Après les réquisitions, le procès reprendra lundi prochain, avec les plaidoiries de la défense prévues sur deux semaines.
China’s Xi heads to Peru for APEC meeting shrouded in Trump fears
Chinese leader Xi Jinping headed to Peru on Wednesday, bound for a meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organisation leaders overshadowed by fears of renewed global trade tensions under Donald Trump.Xi will join leaders from the United States and other Asia-Pacific nations in the Peruvian capital Lima for the APEC gathering, after which he will go to Brazil for a G20 summit.China — the world’s second-largest economy — is grappling with a prolonged housing crisis and sluggish consumption that could worsen under Trump, who has promised to slap 60 percent tariffs on Chinese imports.While in Peru, the Chinese leader will also inaugurate South America’s first Chinese-funded port, in Chancay, around 50 miles (80 kilometres) north of Lima.Expected to serve as a major trade hub, the $3.5-billion complex is seen as symbolic of Beijing’s growing influence in South America, where it has built a vast array of railways, highways and other infrastructure.Bilateral trade between the Asian giant and Peru, one of Latin America’s fastest-growing economies over the past decade, stood at nearly $36 billion in 2023, making Peru China’s fourth-largest Latin American trading partner.The Chancay port will also serve Chile, Colombia and Ecuador, among other South American countries, allowing them to skirt ports in Mexico and the United States for trade with Asia.Starting Wednesday, Lima will receive government ministers and business leaders of APEC member countries, which also include Russia, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Chile and Australia.Ministerial meetings will take place Thursday, followed by talks at the level of heads of state the following two days.State broadcaster CCTV said Xi will be accompanied in Peru by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.- Peru to Brazil -After Lima, Xi will go to the Brazilian coastal city of Rio de Janeiro from November 17 to 21 for a summit of G20 leaders.China is Brazil’s top trading partner, exceeding $180 billion in each-way trade in 2023, with semiconductors, phones and pharmaceuticals dominating exports to the South American country.Since returning to power last year, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has carried out a delicate balancing act as he seeks to deepen ties with China while improving relations with the United States.Both Brazil and China have sought to position themselves as mediators in the conflict in Ukraine, while declining to sanction Russia for its invasion.A visit this year by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin was seen as paving the way for Brazil to join China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure project.A number of South American nations, including Peru, have signed up to the initiative, a central pillar of President Xi’s bid to expand China’s clout overseas.
7-Eleven owner considers going private to avoid foreign buyout: reports
The Japanese owner of 7-Eleven is considering going private by buying back its own shares in a bid to avoid a takeover by Canadian rival Couche-Tard, reports said on Wednesday.Seven & i Holdings is eyeing the move as a countermeasure to Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard’s seven trillion yen ($45 billion) takeover proposal, the Nikkei business daily said.The takeover, if realised, would be the biggest ever foreign buyout of a Japanese firm.With around 85,000 outlets worldwide, 7-Eleven is the world’s biggest convenience store chain.Around a quarter of those are in Japan, where the stores are a cherished one-stop shop for everything from rice balls to concert tickets.Bloomberg News also reported Wednesday that Seven & i was considering a management buyout, or MBO, worth up to nine trillion yen — above its market cap of 5.7 trillion yen.A Seven & i spokesman told AFP there was “nothing for public release at this point”.The 7-Eleven franchise began in the United States, but it has been wholly owned by Seven & i since 2005.Meanwhile, Couche-Tard, which began with one store in Canada’s city of Laval in 1980, now runs nearly 17,000 convenience store outlets worldwide.The Nikkei, citing sources close to Seven & i, said the company had begun talks with financial institutions to procure the necessary resources to buy its own shares.But it said potential obstacles could include whether the banks would agree to the huge loans required, and also whether Seven & i’s founding family would support the plan.In September, Seven & i rejected an initial takeover offer from Couche-Tard, saying it “grossly” undervalued its business and could face regulatory hurdles.Then the group said last month it had received a revised offer that reportedly totalled around seven trillion yen.To boost its share price and fend off Couche-Tard, Seven & i has also announced a major restructuring, including plans to spin off its non-core businesses.To allow it to focus on 7-Eleven, its new holding company will comprise its supermarket food business, speciality stores and other businesses.
Asian markets extend losses as Trump fears build
Asian markets fell again Wednesday as traders fret over the impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on the Chinese and global economies, with fears that his policies could also reignite US inflation.The prospect of prices spiking again on the back of tax cuts, import tariffs, and an easing of regulations gave fresh impetus to the dollar, which has rallied since the Republican’s election win last week.Traders are also keeping tabs on bitcoin after it came within a whisker of breaking $90,000 for the first time, though observers are betting on it hitting $100,000 owing to Trump’s pro-crypto campaign pledges.After an initial rally in the wake of the tycoon regaining the White House, Asian markets have pulled back this week as his cabinet begins to emerge.The naming of known China hawks to key positions has fuelled concerns about another debilitating trade war between the economic superpowers.That comes as Beijing struggles to kickstart growth at home, unveiling a raft of measures at the end of September but leaving traders disappointed with anything new at a much-anticipated announcement Friday.Uncertainty about the outlook heading into 2025 was weighing on Asian equities, with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Wellington, Manila and Jakarta all in the red.The selling came after a negative lead from Wall Street, where all three main indexes finished in the red as investors took a breather from a week-long rally to more record highs.Bitcoin was sitting just above $88,404.The dollar held gains against its peers, having tapped a one-year high versus the euro, while it was pushing back towards 155 yen.The greenback has risen as dealers pare bets on Federal Reserve interest rate cuts after Trump’s win, with two seen through to June, compared with four forecast before the election, according to Bloomberg.Focus is now on the release of key US October consumer price data due later in the day, with expectations for a slight uptick from the previous month.The reading will be pored over for an idea about the central bank’s plans for borrowing costs when it meets again in December.It cut rates 25 basis points last week, having slashed them by 50 points in September, the first since the start of the pandemic.- Key figures around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.1 percent at 38,953.44 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.1 percent at 19,626.71Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,409.38Dollar/yen: UP at 154.68 yen from 154.59 yen on MondayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.0626 from $1.0625Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2747 from $1.2748Euro/pound: UP at 83.37 pence from 83.34 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $68.17 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 percent at $71.94 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 43,910.98 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 1.2 percent at 8,025.77Â (close)