French far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s political future is on the line as a Paris appeals court rules on her eligibility to stand in the next presidential election. The verdict will be delivered and could take several hours to read, potentially reshaping the 2027 contest to replace President Emmanuel Macron if it forces Le Pen out of the picture.
Background of the Case
Le Pen, 57, is appealing a March 2025 conviction that found her and other members of her National Rally party guilty of misusing European Parliament funds by paying party staff with money intended for EU parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016. The lower court sentenced her to prison time, suspended pending appeal, and imposed a five-year ban on holding elected office.
Le Pen has denied any wrongdoing and still hopes to mount a fourth bid for the presidency. However, a verdict that upholds a lengthy ban could make that impossible and suspend her career, which has transformed the National Rally into a major political force. If she is barred, her protege Jordan Bardella would replace her. Bardella, 30, is the current president of the anti-immigration, EU-skeptic National Rally.
Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.
