Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right, was found guilty of embezzlement by a criminal court in Paris on Monday, leading to an immediate five-year ban on holding public office. This ruling has triggered a political crisis in France.
The verdict effectively prevents Le Pen, who is currently the leading candidate for the 2027 presidential election, from running in it. The judge overseeing the case stated that this was necessary, as no one should be exempt from the rule of law.
Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s protégé and a potential presidential candidate in her absence, took to social media, stating, “Not only has Marine Le Pen been unjustly convicted, but French democracy has also been executed.” Right-wing leaders across Europe, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, expressed similar sentiments. “Je suis Marine!” Orban declared in solidarity.
However, Sacha Houlié, a centrist politician, questioned, “Is our society so ill that we would take offense at what is nothing more than the rule of law?”
The ruling enraged Le Pen, a nationalist and anti-immigrant figure who has unsuccessfully run for president three times. She left the courtroom quickly, muttering “incredible” as she walked out, without addressing the press. While she had claimed to be calm before the hearing, her demeanor suggested otherwise. She was expected to speak publicly on French television later that evening.
A recent poll on the presidential race showed Le Pen leading with 34 to 37 percent of the vote, more than 10 points ahead of her nearest competitor. With President Emmanuel Macron unable to run again due to term limits, Le Pen seemed poised for the upcoming election.
The case revolves around accusations that Le Pen’s party, the National Rally, misused millions of euros in European Parliament funds for non-parliamentary expenses between 2004 and 2016. Le Pen, 56, denied any wrongdoing.
The court sentenced her to four years in prison, two of which were suspended. The remaining two could be served under house arrest, and she was also fined 100,000 euros (roughly $108,000). The court’s ruling made her immediately ineligible to run for office. While Le Pen could still appeal, and potentially have her case reconsidered, the process is slow and it’s unclear whether she would succeed.
Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis acknowledged the possibility that an appeal might reverse the ruling, but emphasized that political disqualification was necessary due to the severity of the case and the accused’s refusal to acknowledge the facts. She noted that politicians must not receive preferential treatment.
The ruling could spark political unrest, especially if Le Pen lashes out at the government or if public outrage leads to protests. The French government has struggled with passing a budget this year and remains fragile, potentially vulnerable to being overthrown by the National Assembly, where Le Pen’s party holds significant influence.
Although the verdict doesn’t affect her current seat in the lower house, Le Pen would be ineligible to run if snap parliamentary elections are called, as happened last year. Given the political deadlock in the National Assembly, such a dissolution this year is a real possibility.
The court found that Le Pen played a central role in embezzling nearly $5 million in European Parliament funds over a decade. The National Rally used assistants paid with European Parliament funds to work on party-related tasks, not EU business.
The court rejected Le Pen’s claim that the case was a political attack. Judge de Perthuis stated, “No one is on trial for engaging in politics.”The court rejected Le Pen’s claim that the case was a political attack. Judge de Perthuis stated, “No one is on trial for engaging in politics.”