Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN) party, rallied her supporters in Paris on Sunday, vocally condemning a recent court ruling that bans her from holding public office for five years. "This is a political decision," she declared, referring to her conviction for involvement in the embezzlement of €2.9m (£2.5m) in EU funds. Despite the legal setback, Le Pen remains determined, stating emphatically, "I won't give up" to the thousands of flag-waving supporters gathered in Place Vauban, near the iconic Eiffel Tower.
The court's decision was announced earlier this week, which also included a €100,000 (£82,635) fine and a four-year prison sentence, of which two years are suspended pending an appeal. Le Pen argues that this ruling is an orchestrated "witch hunt" against her party, contending that it represents an attack on her and her supporters' political rights. "We are not asking to be above the law, but to not be below the law," she asserted.
Jordan Bardella, the RN party president, echoed Le Pen's sentiments, framing the court ruling as a direct blow to democracy and asserting that it was an intentional move aimed at sidelining her from the upcoming 2027 presidential election. Although he refrained from denigrating the judiciary, Bardella emphasized the seriousness of the judgement against Le Pen.
Critically, Gabriel Attal, representing President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Renaissance party, countered Le Pen's claims, stating, "You steal, you pay." He also criticized what he termed "unprecedented interference" in French democracy, pointing to supportive statements from right-wing leaders internationally, including Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Hungary's Viktor Orban. Even former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in, describing Le Pen's conviction as a "very big deal."
An opinion poll conducted by BFMTV following the ruling suggested that 57% of respondents believe Le Pen's case was dealt with impartially. The Paris Court of Appeal indicated that a ruling on her appeal could be anticipated by the summer of 2026, allowing a few months of breathing room ahead of the presidential election.
With aspirations to run for the presidency for a fourth time, Le Pen has appeared to have been a viable candidate. Should her candidacy falter due to the legal repercussions, RN spokesperson Laurent Jacobelli indicated that Bardella, who at 29 holds the reins of the party, could be a strong alternative. Polls show that around 60% of RN voters would support Bardella instead if he chose to contest the election.
As the political tension mounts ahead of the presidential race, observers are keenly watching how Le Pen's party navigates these challenges and whether she can reclaim her foothold in French politics amidst these legal controversies.
