Marine Le Pen Questioned Over Fraud Allegations

French National Front leader Marine Le Pen has been questioned over a suspected fraud related to the financing of her party's 2012 election campaign.

The party leader, who scored large gains in recent regional elections, was called as an "assisted witness", an intermediate status between a simple witness and a suspect under indictment.

She had been asked to appear twice before to speak to a judge, during autumn 2015, but refused, according to French newspaper Le Monde.

Financial investigators suspect leaders of her party, and a communications company called Riwal, of fraudulently using public money - something the National Front (FN) strenuously denies.

The investigators claim a sum of several million euros is involved.

Ten people have been indicted as part of the investigation so far, including two FN vice presidents, an accountant close to Marine Le Pen and the boss of Riwal, Frederic Chatillon, an advisor to the far-right politician.

The party itself has also been indicted, along with a sub-group within it, Jeanne, which is understood to have been controlled by Ms Le Pen.

She refused to comment after her interrogation was over, Le Monde said.

In an unrelated matter, Ms Le Pen and her father Jean-Marie, who was succeeded as leader by his daughter in 2011, have been forced to provide information regarding alleged understatements of personal wealth.

Both have also denied any wrongdoing in that case, with Jean-Marie claiming he was being harassed by the "establishment".

A number of other investigations are also under way involving Mr Le Pen and members of the party.