PARIS, March 31 – In a major legal blow, a French court has barred Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party, from running in the 2027 presidential election after she was convicted of embezzlement. The ruling is a significant political setback for Le Pen, 56, who has been a key figure in the European far-right movement and was considered a leading contender in the upcoming race for the French presidency.
The court’s decision could have wide-reaching consequences for French politics, potentially reshaping the race to replace President Emmanuel Macron and putting additional strain on his beleaguered government, which has struggled through a series of crises. The verdict is also likely to fuel further discontent among right-wing leaders globally, who have increasingly criticized judicial systems for their involvement in political matters.
In a televised interview on TF1, Le Pen rejected the verdict, asserting her innocence and vowing to appeal the ruling, which she described as politically motivated to prevent her from running for office. “Tonight, millions of French citizens are outraged to an unimaginable extent, seeing that in France, the country of human rights, judges have imposed practices that we thought were reserved for authoritarian regimes,” she said.
Le Pen’s conviction includes a five-year ban from holding public office, although she will remain a member of parliament until the end of her term. She was also sentenced to four years in prison, two of which are suspended, while the remaining two will be served under home detention. In addition, she faces a 100,000-euro fine, although these penalties will only take effect once her appeals are exhausted.
Billionaire Elon Musk, known for his outspoken support of far-right figures in Europe, reacted to Le Pen’s conviction by accusing the radical left of exploiting the legal system to undermine their political opponents. “When the radical left can’t win through democratic means, they abuse the legal system to jail their adversaries,” Musk wrote on social media.
The court found that Le Pen had been central to a scheme to misappropriate over 4 million euros of EU funds, which were allegedly used to pay for staff salaries within her party. The judge, Benedicte de Perthuis, noted the lack of remorse shown by Le Pen and her co-defendants, which led to the immediate imposition of the public office ban.
Le Pen’s allies, along with right-wing leaders from across Europe and the world, have condemned the ruling as an infringement on political freedom. “Today, it’s not just Marine Le Pen who was unjustly convicted; it was French democracy that was killed,” said Jordan Bardella, the RN’s president and Le Pen’s close ally. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro also voiced his support for Le Pen, calling the ruling “left-wing judicial activism.”
Meanwhile, the French High Council of the Judiciary expressed concern over the public backlash, emphasizing that political leaders should refrain from commenting on the merits of a case during legal proceedings.
As for the RN, its leaders are now considering how to move forward. While Bardella may emerge as the party’s de facto candidate for the 2027 election, Le Pen indicated that she is not yet ready to step aside. “Jordan Bardella is an incredible asset to the party,” she acknowledged, but added, “I will not let myself be eliminated like this. Millions of French people still believe in me.”
Le Pen, who has run for president three times and had planned to make 2027 her final bid for the office, now hopes to overturn the court’s decision on appeal. However, legal experts warn that such appeals in France can take months or even years to resolve, leaving the future of her political career in limbo.
Political analysts view the ruling as a watershed moment for French politics. “This is a seismic event,” said Arnaud Benedetti, a political expert. “It will undoubtedly reshape the political landscape, particularly within the right-wing factions.”
The court’s decision also highlighted the RN’s broader financial misconduct, with the party ordered to pay a 2 million euro fine, half of which is suspended, for diverting EU Parliament funds.
($1 = 0.9258 euros)
