Le Pen stripped of seat
10/04/2003 13:35  - (SA)  

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Luxembourg - The European Court of Justice on Thursday backed a decision by the European Parliament to strip French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen of his seat for slapping a French politician.

In a ruling by its "first instance" chamber, the court ruled that then parliamentary president Nicole Fontaine was justified in withdrawing Le Pen's mandate after a French legal ruling in October 2000.

The National Front leader had appealed against Fontaine's decision, arguing the parliament should have voted in a plenary session on what decision to take. The European Court of Justice suspended the decision in January last year.

Le Pen can appeal the first instance ruling but in the meantime he remains barred from the chamber of the parliament, which has buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg.

The far-right politician was convicted in France in April 1998 of assaulting Socialist candidate Annette Peulvast-Bergeal during campaigning for French national elections the year before. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA

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