The trial of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and other French right-wing nationalists on suspicion of embezzling European funds is set to end on Wednesday, with verdicts expected in early 2025.

The central accusation in the trial is that Le Pen's National Rally party received money from the European Parliament for parliamentary assistants who were actually working either partly or wholly for the party itself.

A total of 28 defendants are accused in the case, which is said to involve a sum of almost €7 million ($7.3 million). Le Pen paid back €330,000 to the European Parliament last year. However, her party emphasized that this was not an admission of misconduct.

The allegations, which relate to the years 2004 to 2016, have dogged Le Pen and her party for years.

A guilty verdict for Le Pen would have severe consequences, with the public prosecutor demanding a five-year ban on her running for public office if convicted, which would dash her hopes of running again in the next presidential election in 2027.

The prosecution has also demanded that the sentence be applied immediately after the verdict is handed down, rather than after a potentially lengthy court process.

In addition, it has called for her to be sentenced to five years in prison, three of which would be suspended, and fined €3,000.

Le Pen has always denied the accusations. "I absolutely don't feel I have committed the slightest irregularity, the slightest illegal move," she said on the first day of her hearing.

The court case is viewed as a major setback in the party's efforts to normalize its image.

The right-wing nationalists were considered frontrunners in the early parliamentary elections in June, although they ultimately finished in third place.

Le Pen is credited with moderating the party's previous radical positions, making it more appealing to mainstream voters.