French officials have requested that the European Parliament revoke Marine Le Pen’s legal immunity over anti-Muslim remarks she made in 2010.
Authorities in the city of Lyon are seeking the prosecution of Ms Le Pen, head of the Front National (FN), over her comparison of Islamic prayers to the Nazi occupation of France in a speech two years ago. An estimated 567,000 French citizens died during the Second World War.
Ms Le Pen, an MEP since 2004, has legal immunity due to her position as a member of the European Parliament. Officials in Lyon hope to prosecute her for “inciting racial hatred”.
In the 2010 speech, Ms Le Pen heavily criticised the presence of Muslim prayer services on the streets of France, a common sight due to overcrowding in mosques.
