French far-right leader Le Pen barred from politics in embezzlement verdict
French far-right figure Le Pen excluded from politics in embezzlement ruling
The sentence translates to Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally party, is barred from standing in the 2027 presidential election, unless she is successful in appealing.
A French court found far-right leader Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzlement Monday and banned her from holding political office for five years — a shocking verdict that might disrupt the 2027 presidential election, where Le Pen was a top contender.
Le Pen, 56, the leader of the National Rally — a Eurosceptic party that was once an exile of French political life for its xenophobic past but was brought into the mainstream by Le Pen herself over decades — was sentenced to four years in prison, two years suspended and two under home detention, and a fine of $108,000.
The verdict was at the end of a hearing that lasted for hours in which a judge announced sentences for 20 others who worked as European lawmakers or parliamentary assistants for National Rally. Prosecutors accused the party of abusing European Union funds. Le Pen, who attended court at the beginning of the hearing, departed before her complete sentence had been read.
In an evening interview with TF1, a French television station, Le Pen said that she would not withdraw from political life because of a “political” decision by the courts. “Let’s be clear: I’ve been eliminated,” the National Rally leader said. “But in reality, there are millions of French people whose voices have been eliminated.”
Le Pen vowed to appeal “because I am innocent,” but acknowledged that there was only a “narrow path” available whereby she might contest the next election.
In case the appeals procedure takes time, or is fast and Le Pen’s eligibility to contest elections is confirmed, the National Rally would likely select an alternate candidate to Le Pen — who is likely her 29-year-old deputy, Jordan Bardella. That would create a “major internal rift” within the party, which has been dominated since its founding by Le Pen or her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, stated.
READ MORE: How to Understand Le Pen’s Political Bar in France
The National Rally is “a party with very different opinions,” he said. “Though all of them come behind Le Pen. If she were no longer their leader, then I expect Bardella … will be considerably less effective in herding [the party] to stay disciplined and united and to cohere around one opinion.”
TF1, Le Pen stated that Bardella was a “grand atout du mouvement,” but continued by stating that she had wished that he was an asset they didn’t have to utilize sooner than they did.
Le Pen, others accused of embezzling E.U. funds
Le Pen, others charged with E.U. money embezzlement Prosecutors charged Le Pen and others with paying parliamentary aides 4.5 million euros ($4.9 million) in European Parliament funds to perform duties largely as party employees in France.
Under E.U. law, “only expenses of assistance which are strictly necessary and related directly to the exercise of a Member’s parliamentary mandate can be defrayed.”
Le Pen and other National Rally officials denied wrongdoing at their trial last year. And Le Pen charged prosecutors with seeking her “political death.” Prosecutors had requested that the court sentence her to five years in prison, a 300,000 euro ($325,000) fine and an automatic five-year ban from public office.
They described the embezzlement as having occurred between 2004 and 2016 and ceased only when Martin Schulz, then president of the European Parliament, complained of a potential breach to French and European anti-corruption agencies in March 2015.
What comes next
The five-year political ineligibility sentence imposed immediately means Le Pen can likely complete her five-year term as a National Assembly member — but she will not be able to stand for public office after her current term expires, even if she appeals the sentence, said Mathiot, the political scientist.
Monday’s decision is not “the end of the story,” according to the Eurasia Group’s Rahman, but rather “a step in the process.” After Le Pen appeals, the Constitutional Council, France’s supreme court, might finally have to render a judgment, one that could set a precedent for how such matters might be disposed of in the future, he added.
READ MORE:How to Analyze the Embezzlement Verdict Against Le Pen
The decision trumps the lineup of would-be candidates lined up to run for the presidency in 2027. French President Emmanuel Macron cannot stand again after his term expires, and he lacks an obvious centrist rival. Le Pen, on the other hand, has run for president three times, in 2012, 2017 and 2022, without success but has been consistently increasing in popularity.
Rodolphe Bosselut, an attorney for Le Pen, said in court that the practice was “harmless” and common among political parties in the European Parliament.
But prosecutors have argued that the scale of the alleged fraud in the two cases can’t be compared and that in the MoDem case, the alleged fraud “stopped spontaneously” and was not “systematic.”
During her trial, Le Pen focused on the political implications of the sentence that prosecutors sought against her. She told judges that political ineligibility “would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate” and noted that “there are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent.” But prosecutors said the courts must apply the law and ignore political considerations.
Other parties are accused of doing the same thing
The National Rally is not the only French party to have been accused of exploiting European money: The centrist Democratic Movement (MoDem) was accused of paying staff to perform party tasks using European Parliament money between 2005 and 2017.
Le Pen’s lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut told the court that the practice was “harmless” and widespread across political parties in the European Parliament.
But prosecutors have countered that the scope of the suspected fraud in the two cases can’t be equated and that in the MoDem case, the suspected fraud “ceased spontaneously” and wasn’t “systematic.”
At her trial, Le Pen emphasized the political consequences of the sentence prosecutors wanted against her. She informed judges that political ineligibility “would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate” and pointed out that “there are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent.” But prosecutors asserted the courts had to apply the law and not consider politics.
Trial for Le Pen at a moment of crisis in French politics
France has been politically volatile since the victory last year of the National Rally in the European Parliament elections that forced Macron to call early elections in France.
Macron’s gamble kept the far-right party out of the French government but resulted in a hung parliament and propelled Le Pen to become one of the decisive players in a bitterly fractured legislature.
France had four prime ministers during 2024, and the bitter rifts frequently paralyzed governments as France struggled to avoid a budget squeeze.
The previous government, under constant danger of falling, fell in December when Le Pen supported a no-confidence motion, becoming the shortest-serving government in recent French history. Even if she is excluded, Le Pen’s party will retain this influence.
The gesture highlighted how Le Pen has adopted a playbook, employed by President Donald Trump, to assert her political strength and scapegoat establishment elites for inaction in government. Like Trump, Le Pen has also labeled the mainstream media as being in opposition to her and was faulted in 2022 for excluding a French news agency from a news conference.
Comparisons to Trump
Le Pen has been careful not to embrace Trumpism too openly, given that he is broadly unpopular in France. But her embezzlement trial led writers to compare her to him: Like Trump — twice impeached and charged with election interference, among other allegations — Le Pen has asserted victimhood of a “deep state” witch hunt to prevent her movement from being in power. She has also challenged the independence of prosecutors, and said that the political ban they sought was a “violent attack on democracy.”
French prosecutors have labeled allegations of a politically motivated trial as “untruths.”
On Monday, support for Le Pen immediately poured in from far-right figures across Europe. In a tweet in French, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called the effort to ban her from political life “a declaration of war from Brussels” and “a bad film.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote simply: “I am Marine!”
The decision, while still in the process of appeal, will likely feed “external criticism of France,” Rahman said — including from Washington.
During the Munich Security Conference in February, Vice President JD Vance criticized European governments for political firewalls aimed at keeping the far right out of office even as such movements are making inroads in many European nations, from Italy to Croatia.
Rahman said the verdict in the Le Pen trial is likely to pique the Trump administration’s interest because “MAGA’s allies in Europe are ultimately situated on the far right of the political spectrum.”
“This administration feels completely unconstrained with taking views on domestic political issues in individual countries in Europe,” he said.
Elon Musk, a Trump presidential adviser, responding to a post on X on Monday that mentioned Le Pen’s prosecution, wrote that “when the radical left can’t win via democratic vote, they abuse the legal system to jail their opponents. This is their standard playbook throughout the world.”
But it’s not clear whether any potential backing of the Trump administration would help or hurt Le Pen and whoever would potentially replace her as her party’s candidate in the 2027 presidential election. “What we’re seeing at the moment is the center being reinforced all over Europe in response to the things the Trump administration is doing,” Rahman said.
FAQ:
1. Who is Marine Le Pen?
Marine Le Pen is a prominent French far-right politician and the former leader of the National Rally (Rassemblement National, formerly National Front). She has run for president multiple times and is a key figure in French right-wing politics.
2. Why was Le Pen barred from politics?
A French court found Le Pen guilty of embezzling EU funds during her time as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). The charges allege that she misused public money to pay party staff for non-EU-related work.
3. What does the verdict mean for her political career?
The ruling includes a one-year ban from holding public office, though she remains eligible to run in future elections as the ban is suspended (not immediately enforced). She was also given a fine and a suspended prison sentence.
4. Can Le Pen appeal the decision?
Yes, Le Pen has denied wrongdoing and plans to appeal the verdict, calling it a political attack.
5. Does this affect her party, National Rally?
While the ruling is a setback, the party remains a major force in French politics. Other members, including her niece Marion Maréchal, continue to influence the far-right movement.
6. Has Le Pen faced legal troubles before?
Yes, she has been involved in multiple legal cases, including investigations into campaign finances and alleged misuse of funds.
7. Will this impact future French elections?
Le Pen remains a significant figure, and her ability to run in future elections depends on the appeal’s outcome. However, the verdict could influence public perception and her party’s strategy.
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