FRANCE
Le Pen ally ‘worked with mafia’ in public-housing scandal

Henry Samuel
Fri, 10 November 2023

David Rachline said he intends to file a slander complaint against 'grotesque claims' - VALERY HACHE/AFP

Marine Le Pen’s “best friend” has been accused of involvement in a cash-for-contracts corruption scandal involving a local business tycoon.

David Rachline, the National Rally party’s number three, approved tenders for public works in return for “brown envelopes” – allegedly full of cash – in his role as a mayor of Fréjus, journalist Camille Vigogne Le Coat has claimed.

Her new book Les Rapaces (The Rapacious, or Raptors) also alleges that the 35-year-old has brazenly anti-Semitic friends and that “Nazi salutes” are common at his lavish all-night private soirées, some of which she claims took place in his town hall during lockdown.

The allegations will be an embarrassment to Ms Le Pen who will join a march against anti-Semitism on Sunday alongside other party leaders in Paris.

Mr Rachline was previously the hard-Right National Front’s poster boy for his “exemplary” running of the provincial town, in the southeastern Var department. It was the biggest office under the party’s control when he took over in 2014.

Marine le Pen and David Rachline who is now reportedly 'unwelcome' at events - FRANCE KEYSER

However, the allegations – some of which surfaced in January – have reportedly turned him into persona non grata at top party events, as Ms Le Pen seeks to ride polls suggesting a rising number of French no longer see her as a xenophobic threat to France.

He has not been photographed by her side this year.

Ms Le Pen said she had “full confidence” in Mr Rachline “on principle, barring proof to the contrary”. No legal investigation has been opened into his conduct.

Mr Rachline has said he intends to file a slander complaint against “grotesque claims” from “local opponents and ousted colleagues”.
‘Mafia system in Var’

Ms Le Coat claims that his colleagues call Mr Rachline “The Christmas Tree” owing to his love of clinking luxury watches and other accoutrements.

He runs a “mafia” style system in Var with a powerful local businessman – Alexandre Barbero – who regularly hands him “brown envelopes” in return for public works contracts, she alleges. Mr Barbero has denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Rachline handed one wad of notes, the book alleges, to his former chauffeur who used it to buy a €15,000 Hublot watch that the politician regularly sports.

The mayor’s entourage has dismissed the book as based on “rumours” and point out that he was resoundingly re-elected for a second mayoral term in 2020 in the first round.

The release of the book comes amid controversy over Ms Le Pen’s announcement that she will attend a march this Sunday to protest rising anti-Semitism in France in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel and the ensuing Israeli offensive on Gaza.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, her father and Front National party founder, was repeatedly convicted of anti-Semitic hate speech and played down the scope of the Holocaust.