EU Confidential Beautiful beef: Le Pen, Varoufakis and the horseshoe theory of politics
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Apr 4, 2025 
Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister and leader of Mera25, teams up with Clea Caulcutt, POLITICO’s Paris correspondent. They dive into the political storm surrounding Marine Le Pen's legal troubles and the potential shift in France’s far-right landscape. Varoufakis controversially defends Le Pen, sparking a debate on the horseshoe theory of politics—are the far left and far right really so different? They explore the implications for European politics, trade tensions, and how these dynamics could reshape the continent's future.
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Le Pen's Corruption Conviction
- Marine Le Pen, leader of France's National Rally, was found guilty of corruption.
- She faces a five-year ban from public office, jeopardizing her 2027 presidential bid.
Horseshoe Theory in Politics
- Yanis Varoufakis, a left-wing politician, surprisingly defended Le Pen, raising questions about the horseshoe theory.
- This theory suggests that the far-left and far-right have more in common policy-wise than one might think.
Details of Le Pen's Corruption
- Le Pen's corruption involved using EU Parliament funds to pay National Rally staff salaries in Paris.
- This was not for personal gain, but the court viewed it as embezzlement.
