World
India
A Paris court on Monday convicted far-right leader Marine Le Pen of embezzling European Union funds and barred her from seeking public office for five years. The decision effectively derails her ambitions to contest the 2027 presidential election, where she had been a frontrunner.
Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally (RN) party, was also sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended and two to be served under house arrest, along with a €100,000 ($108,000) fine. Her party was fined €2 million for its role in the €4.1 million embezzlement scandal, where funds meant for European Parliament assistants were allegedly used to pay party employees in France.
The presiding judge, Bénédicte de Perthuis, called Le Pen’s actions a “serious and lasting attack on the rules of democratic life in Europe, but especially in France.” She justified the immediate electoral ban by citing potential “democratic public unrest” if a convicted politician were to run for office.
Le Pen Calls Ruling a “Political Decision”
Le Pen swiftly denounced the verdict as “a political move” designed to block her path to the presidency. Speaking to French TV channel TF1, she claimed the “rule of law was completely violated” and announced her intention to appeal the ruling.
“I left the courtroom because I realized the judge was handing down a political decision,” she said. “Millions of French people are outraged.”
Her party’s acting president, Jordan Bardella, launched a petition against the verdict, calling on citizens to show that “the will of the people is stronger.” He described the ruling as “a political assassination of French democracy.”
Meanwhile, her niece, Marion Maréchal, a Member of the European Parliament and a member of a rival far-right party, suggested that Le Pen was being punished for leading her movement to victory.
Political Shockwaves and International Reactions
The court’s ruling marks a seismic moment in French politics, potentially reshaping the 2027 election. With President Emmanuel Macron constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, Le Pen was widely seen as a strong contender. Now, with her candidacy in doubt, the far-right’s path forward is uncertain.
Supporters of Le Pen likened her case to that of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has faced multiple legal battles while rallying his political base. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed solidarity, posting “Je suis Marine” on social media. Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini also criticized the ruling.
Adding to the controversy, even some of Le Pen’s political opponents voiced discomfort with the ruling. Conservative lawmaker Laurent Wauquiez called it “a very heavy weight on our democracy”, while French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin had earlier remarked that barring Le Pen from elections would be “profoundly shocking.”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin weighed in, claiming the verdict demonstrated that “Europe is trampling on democratic norms.”
An Uncertain Future for National Rally
Le Pen’s conviction is the latest in a long line of financial scandals involving French politicians. Former President Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted in 2021 for corruption and influence peddling, though he avoided prison.
The ruling leaves National Rally in a leadership crisis. If her appeal fails, Jordan Bardella, 29, could become the party’s new standard-bearer in 2027. However, Le Pen’s absence could weaken the movement she spent years mainstreaming.
Despite the ruling, Le Pen remains a lawmaker in the National Assembly, though she would be ineligible if new parliamentary elections are called before her appeal is resolved.
(Inputs from AP)
ALSO READ: Moldova Expels Russian Diplomats Over Moscow’s Alleged Involvement In Lawmaker’s Escape
