Marine Le Pen appeals five-year ban from office after embezzlement conviction

Marine Le Pen began an appeal on Tuesday at the Paris Appeals Court against a March 2025 embezzlement conviction that includes a five-year ban from holding elected office; a verdict is expected during the summer and will determine whether she can run for president next year. The criminal court found that her party, the National Rally, misused almost $5 million provided by the European Parliament between 2004 and 2016 to pay assistants for work unrelated to EU business, and it convicted Ms.

Le Pen of overseeing the scheme. More than 20 other party officials were also convicted; Ms. Le Pen was sentenced to four years in prison with two suspended and fined 100,000 euros, but the jail term and fine were stayed pending appeal while the electoral ban remained in place. If the appeals court overturns the ban, Ms.

Le Pen — whose party leads national polls — would be positioned as the favorite for the 2027 presidential election; if the ban is upheld, her 30-year-old protégé and party president Jordan Bardella would likely run in her stead. Mr. Bardella, who led the party to victory in the 2024 European Parliament elections and has faced criticism for his attendance and the party’s campaign controversies, has said, “I am not a presidential candidate.

Key Topics

Politics, Marine Le Pen, National Rally, Jordan Bardella, Paris Appeals Court, European Parliament