Marine Le Pen's 2027 presidential bid in jeopardy after Paris court bans far-right leader from running for elections

 

ABDUL SABOOR / REUTERS

Convicted of embezzlement of public funds, the French far-right leader was on Monday sentenced to a five-year ban on running for office, effective immediately, even if appealed.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen walks into the courthouse in Paris, France, March 31, 2025. ABDUL SABOOR / REUTERS

Marine Le Pen might have lost her last chance of becoming French president. The far-right leader was found guilty of "embezzlement of public funds" by the Paris Criminal Court on Monday, March 31, in the case of her party's fake EU parliamentary assistant jobs. Le Pen was sentenced to a four-year prison sentence, including two years suspended and the other two to be served at home with an electronic bracelet, a €100,000 fine, and a five-year ban on being elected to public office. Following the November 13, 2024, prosecution's request, the ban is effective immediately. This is what Le Pen feared the most.

It is however very likely that she will appeal against this decision. Le Pen left the courtroom as soon as the sentence of "ineligibility" was announced, without even waiting for the length of the sentence, and without speaking in front of the many cameras waiting for her at the exit.

The prosecution accused the three-time presidential candidate of having hired four fictitious assistants when she was an MEP (2004-2017). In reality, they worked for the Front National (FN, the former name of her party, the Rassemblement National, RN). The assistants, who were paid by the European Parliament, carried out tasks linked to the management of the party rather than work related to European parliamentary activity, as is normally required