Overview

• Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzling €2.9 million in EU funds, receiving a five-year ineligibility sentence and a four-year prison term, two years of which are suspended.
• The conviction prevents Le Pen from running in the 2027 French presidential election, with her political future now hinging on an appeal set for summer 2026.
• Donald Trump labeled the ruling a 'witch hunt' and called for Le Pen's 'liberation,' likening her case to his own legal challenges in the U.S.
• U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized the conviction, falsely suggesting Le Pen was not personally implicated and calling it undemocratic.
• The case has amplified divisions in France and internationally, with far-right leaders rallying behind Le Pen and raising concerns over judicial influence in politics.