Marine Le Pen banned from running for office following conviction

The latest news on France. In a landmark ruling on Monday, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been sentenced to a five-year ban from holding public office following her conviction for misappropriating European Union funds.

The court found Le Pen and several National Rally (RN) party members guilty of diverting over €4 million, funds meant for parliamentary assistance, towards paying domestic staff. You can read more about Marine Le Pen being found guilty here.

With the 2027 presidential race looming, Le Pen's inability to run could reshape the right-wing field, potentially leaving Jordan Bardella as its new figurehead. For now, it remains to be seen how this verdict will alter France's political dynamics ahead of the next election.