A French court found far-right leader Marine Le Pen guilty Monday of misappropriating EU funds and she will be banned from running for public office with immediate effect.
Le Pen, head of the far-right National Rally (RN), is the front-runner in opinion polls ahead of the 2027 vote.
Prosecutors had asked that Le Pen face an immediate five-year ban from public office if found guilty, regardless of any appeal process, using a so-called “provisional execution” measure. Judges can adopt, modify or ignore the prosecutors’ request.
An automatic five-year ban would hammer Le Pen, 56, a three-time presidential contender who has said 2027 will be her final run for top office. She would retain her parliamentary seat until the end of her mandate.
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Issuing the guilty verdict, judge Benedicte de Perthuis said Le Pen had been at the centre of a system put in place by the party to use EU funds to pay France-based party staff.
“At the heart of this system since 2009, Marine Le Pen has placed herself with authority and determination in the system established by her father, in which she has participated since 2004,” she said.
