A Paris appeals court on Tuesday upheld Marine Le Pen's conviction for misusing EU funds but shortened her ban on running for elected office, potentially allowing the National Rally (RN) leader to contest the French presidency in 2027. The court sentenced Le Pen to a three-year jail term, with two years suspended and one year served under electronic monitoring via an ankle tag.
Le Pen was originally convicted in March 2025 of embezzling over 4 million euros ($4.6 million) from the European Parliament, intended for parliamentary assistants but used to pay RN staff. The initial sentence included a five-year ban from public office, which the appeals court reduced to 15 months.
Reactions and Implications
Le Pen's legal team expressed partial satisfaction with the ruling, while the European Parliament's lawyer emphasized the court's confirmation of embezzlement. Opposition leaders, including Manon Aubry of France Unbowed and Olivier Faure of the Socialists, criticized the RN's conduct, citing the conviction as evidence of misconduct.
Le Pen has stated she would not campaign while wearing an electronic tag, raising questions about her presidential ambitions. The RN's current president, Jordan Bardella, has expressed unwavering support for Le Pen but may now assume the party's presidential candidacy.
Le Pen is scheduled to address her political future in a prime-time TV interview, where she may clarify her intentions regarding the 2027 election.