Overview

• Marine Le Pen and eight other RN eurodeputies were found guilty of diverting €2.9 million in EU funds to finance party activities between 2004 and 2016.
• The court imposed a five-year ineligibility sentence with immediate execution, alongside five years of prison (two years firm) and a €300,000 fine for Le Pen.
• The Rassemblement National (RN) was fined €4.3 million, with €2 million non-suspended, further straining the party's resources.
• The immediate execution of the ineligibility sentence prevents Le Pen from appealing in time for the 2027 presidential election, sparking discussions about the party's leadership succession.
• The ruling has intensified debates over judicial accountability and its impact on democratic processes, with Le Pen labeling the decision as politically motivated.