Overview

• Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzling €4.1 million in EU funds, receiving a four-year sentence, a €100,000 fine, and a five-year ban from running for office.
• The ban jeopardizes Le Pen's ability to participate in the 2027 French presidential election unless her appeal, expected to be reviewed by summer 2026, overturns the ruling.
• Le Pen and her party, Rassemblement National, have denied the charges, claiming the trial is politically motivated and part of a broader attack on the far-right.
• International figures such as Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán have criticized the conviction, with Trump calling it a 'witch hunt' and comparing it to his own legal challenges.
• A large-scale demonstration in Paris is planned for April 6, 2025, as Le Pen continues to rally domestic and international support while navigating her appeal process.