Marine Le Pen has driving license revoked, but blames chauffeur

She also failed to pay €3,000 in legal fees

Marine Le Pen had her driving license revoked in 2012 (Patrick Durand/Getty Images)

Far-right French politician Marine Le Pen had her driving license revoked after a string of speeding offences which she claims were committed by her chauffeur, it emerged today.

Police removed the Front National leader’s driving license in 2012 after she racked up 12 points on her license – the maximum amount allowed in France, satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchainé reported, according to website TheLocal.Fr.

She also failed to pay 3,000 euros in legal fees to lawyers attempting to get her license reinstated.

On Wednesday Le Pen, an out outspoken opponent to speed cameras, told Le Figaro newspaper, according to France24, that she was not responsible for losing the points.

“I didn’t actually commit these offences,” she said.

“I have been using the services of a chauffeur who drove me in my personal vehicle. I took the points because I didn’t want to get the person who was driving into trouble.”

And in a written statement on Wednesday, Le Pen said she failed to pay the outstanding 3,000 euros “because she wasn’t sure which of the two lawyers” to send it to, and that the confusion was now resolved.

Her lawyer Wallerand de Saint-Juste, who is also the Front National treasurer, confirmed to The Local.Fr that Le Pen had her driving privileges taken away, but also claimed that it was her chauffeur and not Le Pen herself who committed the driving offences and garnered the 12 points.

Saint-Juste explained that the chauffeur failed to tell the police afterwards that it was not Ms Le Pen who was driving, meaning she lost the points automatically and was eventually contacted by the police, who revoked her license.

In France, the police automatically blame the owner of a vehicle for driving offences, unless they are told otherwise.

The revelation comes after Le Pen’s anti-immigration party won its first seats in France’s Senate on Sunday.