Overview

• Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzling EU funds, sentenced to four years in prison (two under house arrest, two suspended), fined €100,000, and banned from running for office for five years.
• Her immediate ineligibility to run for office is being enforced despite her appeals, with a Paris appeals court decision expected by summer 2026.
• The ruling has led to widespread protests, a surge in Rassemblement National membership, and over 300,000 signatures on a petition opposing the verdict.
• International right-wing leaders, including Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump, have criticized the ruling as politically motivated, while the French judiciary defends it as a fair application of the law.
• Judges involved in the case have faced threats and harassment, prompting heightened security measures and condemnation from French officials.