French Court Rules On Marine Le Pen Case
A Paris court has issued a five-year ban on Marine Le Pen from holding public office, effectively removing her from contention in France’s 2027 presidential election. The ruling, delivered Monday, found the National Rally leader guilty of embezzling €474,000 in European Union funds. The case centered on misuse of funds intended for EU parliamentary assistants, which were allegedly diverted to support political operations in France.
The court imposed a four-year suspended prison sentence, a €100,000 fine, and immediate enforcement of the ineligibility ruling. Despite Le Pen’s stated intention to appeal, the court stipulated that the political ban would remain active during the appeal process, a timeline that typically spans more than a year. As a result, unless the ruling is overturned swiftly, Le Pen will be absent from a French presidential ballot for the first time since 1981.
‘Nothing Will Stop Me’ — Marine Le Pen Defiant as Trial That Could Ban Presidential Bid Beginshttps://t.co/tKwOQErqBn
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) October 1, 2024
Le Pen exited the courtroom before the full sentencing was read, returning to her party’s headquarters “visibly exasperated,” according to French media. Prior to the decision, she had maintained her innocence and stated she would seek legal recourse if convicted.
The ruling has triggered sharp criticism from political allies and commentators across Europe, many of whom describe it as judicial interference in the democratic process. Éric Ciotti, former leader of the conservative Republicans party, characterized the decision as “the democratic destiny of our nation confiscated by an unworthy judicial cabal.” He further suggested that the ruling reflects a systemic effort to block any right-wing candidate with a viable path to power.
Macron’s Popularity Falls to Lowest Since Yellow Vest Protests, Le Pen Leads Race to Replacehttps://t.co/5GhXqRtFOa
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 13, 2025
International figures expressed support as well. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared, “I am Marine!” in a symbolic message of solidarity. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned that the ruling signaled “a declaration of war from Brussels,” suggesting it aligned with broader efforts by European leadership to constrain political dissent.
Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s deputy and widely seen as her political successor, echoed those sentiments. “It is French democracy that is being executed,” he stated.
Le Pen remains the most popular candidate for the 2027 race according to recent polling from Ifop, which shows her support ranging between 34 and 37 percent depending on her opponents. Her closest challenger, former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, polled at just 21 percent.