Macron's rival Marine Le Pen is accused of embezzlement

Marine Le Pen, who is going head-to-head with incumbent Emmanuel Macron in the race to be France's next president, has hit back at the European Union's anti-corruption body for alleging she embezzled money from the bloc when she was a lawmaker.

State broadcaster Radio France Internationale said her team questioned the timing of the allegations, which first appeared on the investigative website Mediapart on Saturday. Mediapart said several senior members of Pen's Rassemblement National, or National Rally, had been accused of embezzling more than 600,000 euros ($648,000).

The anti-corruption bureau, which is known as Olaf, said in a leaked report that Le Pen and the others did not personally pocket the money but used it to fund non-EU activities, such as Rassemblement National events, and the salaries of party workers.

All of those accused have denied any wrongdoing.

Le Pen's lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, said the timing of the allegations was suspicious, given the far-right politician is the only challenger left in the race against Macron.

He told Agence France-Presse he was "dismayed by the way that Olaf is acting" and noted some claims in the 116-page report refer to "facts more than 10 years old".

Both Le Pen and Macron continued campaigning on Monday but both camps will now be focusing on Wednesday's live televised debate, which experts believe will settle who should lead the nation of 66 million people after the next round of voting on April 24.

The debate was crucial in 2017, when the two last faced off seeking France's top job.

Le Pen told the television station TF1 on Sunday evening she believes she will do better this time around.

"In my head, I'm ready to exercise power," she said.

Opinion polls had Macron slightly ahead, with between 53 and 55.5 percent of the vote. Le Pen had between 44.5 and 47 percent.

Le Pen said the live debate will offer her the chance to clear the air.

"I've read so much nonsense about my plans over the last few days, so many caricatures-even fake news-that it's extremely important I can get a moment with all the French people," she said, insisting she can "reassure everybody".

Le Pen, who many see as fixated with immigration and the threat posed by radical Islam, said she also wants to also talk about everyday issues, such as how she will tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

But she will have to spend more time than she would have wanted on the Olaf allegations.

Bosselut told the French channel BFMTV she will contest the claims "without having had access to the details of the accusation".

"It's a manipulation," he said. "Unfortunately, I'm not surprised."

He said the Olaf investigation started in 2016 and included Le Pen answering questions in writing during March 2021 before the report was sent to the police in March.

The public prosecutor's office in Paris has confirmed it has received the document and said it is examining it.