“Marine Le Pen Found Guilty of Embezzlement by French Court”
A Paris criminal court found Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally party, guilty of embezzlement related to the misuse of European Parliament funds. The court sentenced her to four years in prison—two of which are suspended—and imposed a €100,000 fine. Additionally, she has been barred from holding public office for five years, a decision that may significantly alter the landscape of the 2027 French presidential election.
Le Pen, 56, has denied wrongdoing in the case, which centered on allegations that her party paid National Rally staffers using funds intended for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016. While the court did not find that Le Pen personally profited, it concluded that she played a “central role” in organizing and overseeing the scheme. The court determined that the conduct violated public trust and warranted immediate disqualification from office, emphasizing that elected officials must be held to the same legal standards as any citizen.
The ruling triggered strong reactions across France and Europe. Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s political protégé and a possible presidential contender, stated that French democracy had been “executed.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also expressed support for Le Pen, writing, “Je suis Marine.” However, others defended the court’s decision as a matter of upholding the rule of law. Centrist lawmaker Sacha Houlié questioned whether society had lost sight of legal accountability, regardless of political status.
Le Pen left the courtroom without addressing the media but was expected to speak on national television later that evening. Her political future now hinges on the outcome of an appeals process, which could take months or years. Unless overturned, the verdict renders her ineligible to run in upcoming parliamentary or presidential elections.
Polls published just before the ruling showed Le Pen leading the presidential field with 34–37% of the projected vote. With President Emmanuel Macron unable to seek re-election due to term limits, Le Pen was widely viewed as a frontrunner.
The decision could inject further instability into an already divided French political environment. While Le Pen retains her current seat in the National Assembly, she would not be eligible to seek re-election should President Macron call for early legislative elections.
This case marks a turning point for France’s far-right movement, which has steadily advanced from political margins toward mainstream influence. Founded by Jean-Marie Le Pen in 1972, the National Rally has sought to rebrand itself under Marine Le Pen’s leadership, even as its platform remains staunchly nationalist and anti-immigration.
While Le Pen and her allies maintain that the charges are politically motivated, the court concluded otherwise. “No one is on trial for engaging in politics,” said presiding judge Bénédicte de Perthuis. “The law applies equally to all.”
Article rewritten from an article originally posted here.
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