Overview

• Marine Le Pen, convicted of embezzling €4 million in EU funds, has appealed her sentence, which includes a five-year ban from public office, with a decision expected by summer 2026.
• Her National Rally party organized a rally in Paris, drawing an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 attendees, while left-wing and centrist groups held counter-demonstrations emphasizing the rule of law.
• Le Pen compared her struggle to Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights movement, framing her legal challenges as a peaceful fight against what she calls judicial persecution.
• French President Emmanuel Macron and other political leaders defended the judiciary's independence, rejecting claims of political interference in the court's decision.
• Polls suggest Le Pen remains a frontrunner for the 2027 presidential election, with support ranging from 32% to 36%, despite her legal challenges and ongoing appeal.