Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader of the National Rally party, was convicted of embezzlement on Monday and banned from running for office, causing concern over her presidential bid. However, the Court of Appeals in Paris has announced that a decision on her case will be issued by summer 2026, potentially allowing her to enter the 2027 presidential race if cleared of wrongdoing.
The court’s decision has sparked speculation over possible scenarios for Le Pen’s presidential bid, with the possibility of either her acquittal or a sentence that does not include immediate political ineligibility. The court’s cautious approach has also raised the potential for a presidential pardon, although this can only be granted once all avenues of appeal have been exhausted.
Marine Le Pen currently holds a seat as a Member of Parliament and is barred from participating in upcoming elections until the summer of 2026. This surprising decision comes after she was convicted of embezzlement and banned from running for office for five years.
Despite the legal challenges she currently faces, Le Pen continues to assert that the political establishment is trying to sabotage her bid for the presidency. With the court’s decision pending, the future of her presidential aspirations remains uncertain as France waits to see how this legal battle will unfold.
Source
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
