Marine Le Pen's appeal trial over the misuse of European Parliament funds concluded in Paris on Wednesday, with judges now set to decide whether the far-right leader can run in France's 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, 57, is challenging last year's conviction for orchestrating a scheme that diverted EU parliamentary funds to pay party staff in France. Her defence team argued she never intended to break the rules and maintained that the contracts for parliamentary assistants were lawful and transparent.
In the initial ruling, judges found Le Pen had been central to an organized system that misused funds between 2004 and 2016. She received a five-year ban from holding public office, a four-year prison sentence, partly suspended and partly to be served under electronic monitoring, and a €100,000 fine. Prosecutors estimate the total loss to European funds at €4.8 million. During the appeal, state prosecutors urged the court to uphold the election ban, describing the system as structured and deliberate.
The court's decision, expected on July 7, will determine whether Le Pen can mount a fourth presidential campaign. If the ban is upheld, leadership of the National Rally's 2027 bid would likely fall to party president Jordan Bardella. The case has intensified political tensions in France, with Le Pen accusing judges of political bias while prosecutors insist the ruling strictly applies existing law...