Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Front, has been ordered to stand trial in October on charges of inciting racial hatred.
The charges relate to her comments made in 2010 comparing Muslims praying in the streets to the Nazi occupation of France in World War Two.
The European Parliament paved the way for her prosecution in 2013 by removing her immunity as an MEP.
Ms Le Pen has defended her remarks and called the charges "intimidation".
She will appear in court in Lyon on 20 October, according to French media reports.
Lyon is where, in December 2010, Ms Le Pen told FN supporters that the sight of Muslims praying in the street was similar to the Nazi occupation in World War Two.
In her speech, broadcast by French media, she said that France had initially seen "more and more veils", then "more and more burkas" and "after that came prayers in the streets". [BBC] Read more
