Marine Le Pen Convicted of Embezzlement, Barred from Public Office for Five Years

The French far-right leader was found guilty of misusing €3 million in EU funds, effectively ending her 2027 presidential bid as the ruling takes immediate effect.

• Marine Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, a €100,000 fine, and an immediate five-year ban from public office.
• The Paris court determined that Le Pen and 24 National Rally officials misappropriated EU funds meant for parliamentary assistants to pay party staff in France.
• Le Pen plans to appeal the ruling, but the ban remains in place during the appeals process, disqualifying her from the 2027 presidential race.
• Jordan Bardella, 29, the president of the National Rally, is expected to lead the party in her absence, though concerns persist about his ability to match her electoral appeal.
• The conviction has drawn international criticism from Le Pen's allies, including Hungary's Viktor Orbán and Italy's Matteo Salvini, who allege judicial interference in democracy.

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