In a significant legal blow, Marine Le Pen, head of France's far-right National Rally, has been barred from holding public office for five years after being convicted of misappropriating European Union funds. Alongside the ban, Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence, with two years conditionally suspended. She was also ordered to pay a fine of €100,000 (about $108,000). Denying any wrongdoing, Le Pen plans to appeal the ruling, casting doubt on her political future as she attempts to rebrand her party and distance it from its controversial past. The case highlights ongoing struggles within the far-right landscape in France, especially as Le Pen sought to reposition her party as a major political force ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
Marine Le Pen Faces Five-Year Ban After Embezzlement Verdict
Marine Le Pen Faces Five-Year Ban After Embezzlement Verdict
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is barred from public office for five years following an embezzlement conviction.
Le Pen, 56, took over the National Front from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2011, and has worked to moderate the party's image by renaming it and rejecting its previously embraced antisemitism. Her ambition to lead France faces new challenges amidst this legal entanglement, which could reshape her party's trajectory leading into the upcoming elections in 2027.
