Catherine Griset, a French politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the National Rally, is usually linked to pro-Russian leanings through party affiliations and activities. She is directly associated with Marine Le Pen, one of the identified controversial politicians because of her pro-Russian inclinations. Griset was her personal assistant and subsequently her chief of staff.
Griset was one of a group of “experts” in 2020 who monitored the process of voting on amendments to the Russian Constitution. This vote, commonly known as the “all-Russian voting,” was convened to legitimize constitutional reforms which would permit President Vladimir Putin to possibly extend his presidency to 2036.
As an observer, she traveled to Moscow in business class alongside fellow observer Beigneux, and both stayed at the Radisson hotel during their visit. During their time in Russia, Griset reported noticing no irregularities in the voting process. Her remarks were part of a larger story that lauded the vote’s conduct, even as independent observers and analysts uniformly criticized its legitimacy.
In addition, Griset has been opposed to French assistance to Ukraine ever since Russia’s 2022 invasion and has remained anti-expansionist on NATO expansions that include Finland and Sweden. In addition, Griset is part of a group of MEPs renowned for its pro-Kremlin orientations, such as being part of delegations that have engaged with Russian political leaders.
In 2017, Catherine Griset, the chief of staff to Marine Le Pen, was indicted for breach of trust during a major scandal over alleged European Parliament fund misuse. The investigators discovered that Griset and Le Pen’s bodyguard had collected around €340,000 in salaries paid from parliamentary funds when they were, in reality, working for the National Front party rather than performing their assigned duties as aides in the European Parliament.
The allegations centered on claims that some members of the National Front had employed legislative aides for party activities rather than their designated parliamentary duties. This probe led to Griset being formally charged in February 2017, while Le Pen faced similar charges later that year for complicity in the breach of trust concerning her aides.
