Le Pen was given a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and also fined. However, neither the sentence nor the fine will take effect until her appeals are completed. Getty Images
Le Pen was given a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and also fined. However, neither the sentence nor the fine will take effect until her appeals are completed. Getty Images
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been barred from running for the French presidency in 2027. A Paris court found her guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds. She called the ruling a "denial of democracy" and vowed to fight back.
Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended. She will serve the remaining two years outside prison under electronic monitoring. The court also fined her €100,000 (£84,000). The ruling bans her from running for public office for five years.
Furious over the decision, Le Pen announced plans to appeal. She said, "I’m not going to let myself be eliminated like this."
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Le Pen’s conviction sparked international reactions. Donald Trump called it a "very big deal" and compared it to his own legal troubles. Elon Musk warned that the ruling could "backfire," just like the legal cases against Trump.
In France, her supporters, including members of her National Rally (RN) party, called the sentence unfair. Jordan Bardella, the RN president, said, "Today it is not only Marine Le Pen who was unjustly condemned: French democracy was killed." He urged people to "mobilize peacefully" by starting a petition and distributing leaflets across the country.
The Court’s Justification
The court issued a 150-page ruling after a nine-week trial. The head judge, Bénédicte de Perthuis, stated that no one is "immune from the rule of law." The court found that Le Pen and 24 party members embezzled €4.5m (£3.8m) in EU funds.
They used money meant for European parliamentary assistants to pay RN party workers in France. The scheme ran from 2004 to 2016. The court ruled that this was an illegal misuse of taxpayer money.
Le Pen’s Reaction
In court, Le Pen appeared calm as the judge read the verdict. However, she became visibly upset when the court revealed that her party had misused EU funds. She shook her head in disagreement and whispered, "Incredible." Before the full sentence was announced, she left the courtroom without warning.
After the ruling, Le Pen told the media she was determined to keep fighting. "I will pursue every legal option available," she said.
Political Impact
Le Pen’s conviction has shaken France’s political landscape. She had hoped to run for the presidency again, using her anti-immigration platform. Her party is now in a difficult position, as they must find a new candidate.
Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old RN president, could be her replacement. Though popular, he has limited political experience.
Despite the ban, Le Pen can keep her current seat in the French parliament. However, she cannot run in future elections during her five-year ban.
