BREAKING: French Far-Right Leader Le Pen Barred From Office

A Paris court has ruled that far-right leader Marine Le Pen is ineligible to run for political office for the next five years after finding her guilty of embezzling European Union funds.

The verdict, delivered on Monday, deals a major blow to Le Pen’s aspirations of contesting France’s 2027 presidential election.

CNN reports that the court’s president, Bénédicte de Perthuis, declared that Le Pen’s actions constituted a “serious and lasting attack on the rules of democratic life in Europe, but especially in France.”

Le Pen, who currently serves as a member of the French parliament, left the courtroom before her sentence was fully read out.

The case also implicated eight Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from her party and 12 of their assistants.

They were accused of misusing European Parliament funds to pay staff who were actually working for Le Pen’s political party, the National Rally (RN), in France.

Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence for Le Pen, with two years suspended, along with a $325,000 fine and a five-year ban from public office, even if she appeals the decision.

Following the trial in November, French Justice Minister, Gérald Darmanin expressed on social media platform X that it would be “profoundly shocking” if Le Pen were barred from future elections.

Prior to the ruling, polls indicated that Le Pen was a strong contender to replace President Emmanuel Macron, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

Under Le Pen’s leadership, the National Rally has attempted to shed its historically racist and antisemitic image, positioning itself as a more mainstream political force in France.

The court’s decision has triggered swift reactions from Le Pen’s allies across Europe.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán publicly expressed his support for Le Pen, in a poston X, “Je suis Marine!” (“I am Marine!”), he said.

Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s protégé and current president of the RN, condemned the ruling, stating, “Today, it is not only Marine Le Pen who is being unjustly condemned; it is French democracy that is being executed.”

Meanwhile, Le Pen has the right to appeal the ruling in French higher courts. If she chooses to appeal, the ruling would not take effect immediately, and she could continue her political activities while the appeal is pending.

However, the court had ruled that the ban should stand even if she appeals.