A French court has convicted Marine Le Pen of embezzlement and prohibited her from seeking public office for five years, dealing a significant blow to her presidential ambitions and sending shockwaves through French politics.

Le Pen, speaking to French TV channel TF1, condemned the verdict as politically motivated, accusing it of being aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election. She argued that millions of French citizens were “outraged” by the ruling and called it a violation of the rule of law.She announced her intention to appeal the decision and requested that the court proceedings take place before the 2027 campaign. As a result, she will remain ineligible for candidacy until the appeal is concluded.In addition to the ineligibility, Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence, with two years under house arrest and two years suspended—though the sentence will not apply pending the appeal.

The ruling has far-reaching political consequences, undermining one of the top contenders to succeed President Emmanuel Macron after his second term ends. The implications are so significant that even some of Le Pen's political adversaries have expressed concerns that the court's decision was overly harsh.However, it is uncertain how this ruling will impact voters. The potential disqualification of Le Pen might energize her devoted supporters, similar to how legal issues have galvanised some of Donald Trump’s base in the U.S. On the other hand, it might push her further out of the political spotlight, halting her rising political momentum.Le Pen argued that the court’s decision to declare her ineligible before exhausting her appeals was clearly intended to prevent her from running for president. “If that’s not a political decision, I don’t know what is,” she said during the TF1 interview. She lamented that the ruling represented a “fateful day for our democracy,” but insisted she would continue to pursue her “now admittedly narrow” path to the presidency.

Le Pen had already left the courtroom before the judge delivered the sentence, and her supporters immediately voiced their disapproval. Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old protégé, called the verdict unjust and claimed that French democracy was being “executed.” Hungary’s populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán showed solidarity by posting “Je suis Marine!” on social media.Even among Le Pen’s political opponents, some expressed unease about the ruling. Conservative lawmaker Laurent Wauquiez described it as a heavy blow to French democracy.The conviction could prevent Le Pen from making a fourth run for the presidency in 2027, which she has previously described as a “political death.” Having been a runner-up to Macron in both the 2017 and 2022 elections, Le Pen’s party has seen increasing electoral support. However, unless an appellate court overturns the ban on public office, her prospects of running again are uncertain. With the election just two years away, time is running out, and appeals in France can take several years.

The ruling represents a significant defeat for Le Pen's National Rally party, previously known as the National Front. She and 24 other party officials were accused of using European Union parliamentary funds to pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, violating EU regulations.The judge found that Le Pen was central to a system designed to divert EU funds, though they did not personally profit. The embezzlement was described as a “democratic bypass” that deceived both the European Parliament and the electorate.During the trial, Le Pen showed no immediate reaction when the judge initially declared her guilty. However, she appeared increasingly agitated as the details of the verdict were read out, shaking her head in disagreement when the judge explained how her party misused EU funds. She left abruptly, leaving many in the courtroom in disbelief.While the electoral ineligibility takes effect immediately, the house arrest will be suspended during her appeal. Le Pen remains a lawmaker in France’s National Assembly, a role unaffected by the ruling for now. However, if President Macron calls early legislative elections, Le Pen would be barred from standing.