WORLD IN BRIEF : FRANCE : Rightist Faces Trial on Slander Charge
Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the far right in France, was stripped of his immunity by the European Parliament, clearing the way for a trial on state charges brought by France. Le Pen had claimed immunity on the basis of his membership in the Parliament. Although he will be prosecuted for “insulting a minister,†the real issue is anti-Semitism. Last year, Le Pen referred to Civil Service Minister Michel Durafour with a pun that involved the term for gas ovens. Le Pen appeared on television and accused the government of staging a “witch hunt.â€
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