Marine Le Pen Appeals Conviction as Party Support Surges
The French opposition leader, convicted of embezzling EU funds and barred from public office, seeks to overturn her sentencing while her party rallies support.
- Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzling EU funds, sentenced to four years in prison with two years under house arrest, and fined €100,000.
- The court imposed an immediate five-year ban on her eligibility to run for office, which remains in effect despite her appeal.
- Le Pen has filed appeals with the French Constitutional Council and the European Court of Human Rights, with a decision expected by summer 2026.
- Her party, Rassemblement National, has gained 10,000 new members in a single day and organized protests, with over 300,000 signing a petition against the ruling.
- Public opinion remains divided, with 42% of French citizens believing the conviction was politically motivated, while others view it as a fair application of the law.
FOCUS online 
Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung 
junge Welt 
Preußische Allgemeine Zeitung 
DER SPIEGEL 
Junge Freiheit 
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 
Der Tagesspiegel 
Die Zeit 
Stern 