French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has strongly criticized a court ruling that bans her from running for public office, calling it a “political decision.” Le Pen, convicted of embezzling EU funds, has vowed to appeal the verdict and fight for her political future.
The decision bars her from standing in elections for five years, casting doubt on her potential candidacy in the 2027 French presidential election.
“I’m not going to let myself be eliminated like this,” Le Pen stated in an interview with TF1. She promised to appeal “as soon as possible” using “whatever legal avenues I can.”
A Verdict That Shakes France’s Far-Right
The ruling, delivered on Monday, sentenced Le Pen to four years in prison, with two years suspended. The remaining two years can be served under electronic monitoring rather than in custody. Additionally, she was fined €100,000 (£82,635).
Le Pen lashed out at the verdict, claiming the judges were implementing “measures reserved for authoritarian regimes.” She insisted that “millions of French people are outraged” and accused the judicial system of targeting her party unfairly.
Her appeal, however, could take at least a year to be heard, followed by months before a final ruling. This delay complicates her ability to prepare for the 2027 election, which was seen as her best chance yet to win the presidency.
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Rallying Support and Backlash from Political Circles
Le Pen’s protégé and National Rally (RN) president, Jordan Bardella, condemned the ruling as a “democratic scandal.” He called for a “peaceful popular mobilization” and shared a petition claiming that a “dictatorship of judges” was attempting to silence the French people.
The petition urges citizens to resist “those who want to circumvent democracy.”
The case has divided opinion across France’s political spectrum:
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon (far-left France Unbowed) opposed the ruling, stating, “The choice to dismiss an elected official should only belong to the people.”
- Laurent Wauquiez (right-wing Republicans) warned that the ruling “weighs heavily on our democracy.”
- Prime Minister François Bayrou, a centrist, was reportedly “troubled” by the decision, although he refrained from publicly commenting.
Shortly before her sentencing, Le Pen received messages of support from international allies, including Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Italy’s Matteo Salvini. Even the Kremlin voiced solidarity with her.
The Fraud Case: What Led to the Conviction?
Le Pen and over 20 senior National Rally figures were convicted for misusing €2.9 million in European Union funds. The court found that they had hired assistants using EU money but assigned them to work on party affairs instead of European Parliament duties.
The RN party itself was ordered to pay a €2 million fine, with half the amount suspended.
During the trial, Le Pen denied wrongdoing, stating she had “not committed the slightest irregularity.” However, evidence suggested otherwise, and she walked out of court before the sentence was formally issued, heading straight to RN headquarters in Paris for a crisis meeting.
What’s Next? Can Le Pen Overturn the Ban?
Le Pen’s legal team has already begun preparing an appeal, but overturning a guilty verdict and election ban will be a lengthy process.
The verdict also poses significant challenges for the 2027 election, as she would have been a top contender. With her candidacy in jeopardy, Jordan Bardella may have to take the lead for RN in the next presidential race.
Le Pen remains defiant:
“This indignation, this sense of injustice, fuels my fight for the people.”
As the appeal process unfolds, the political landscape in France is set for a period of intense uncertainty. Whether this ruling permanently derails Le Pen’s presidential ambitions remains to be seen.
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