French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been dealt a severe blow, receiving a five-year ban from holding office and a jail sentence after being convicted of embezzling European Union funds. The court’s ruling, delivered on Monday, casts a significant shadow over her potential candidacy in the 2027 presidential election, where she was considered a frontrunner.
Le Pen, her National Rally party (RN) and some two dozen party figures were accused by prosecutors of diverting over 4.1 million euros ($4.44 million) of European Parliament funds to pay staff working for the party in France. The defendants said the money was used legitimately and that the allegations incorporated too narrow a definition of what a parliamentary assistant does.
Le pen responds and the court’s verdict
Le Pen, who reacted to the verdict with disbelief, has vowed to appeal the decision. The five-year electoral ban takes immediate effect, her four-year jail sentence, with two years suspended, will only be enforced after all legal avenues have been exhausted. She was also fined €100,000.
Chief Judge Benedicte de Perthuis justified the immediate ban by emphasising the need to prevent elected officials from receiving preferential treatment. The outcome of Le Pen’s 2027 bid hinges on the duration and result of her appeal.
Political outrage
The verdict has ignited a firestorm of reactions. Jordan Bardella, head of Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (RN) party, denounced the ruling as an “execution of French democracy” on social media.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini likened the sentence to political exclusion, branding it a “declaration of war by Brussels.” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, echoed these sentiments, accusing European capitals of “trampling democratic norms.”
Findings of Fake Contracts
The court found that Le Pen and 24 other RN officials, including nine former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), orchestrated a system of fake contracts and jobs to divert approximately €4.4 million in EU funds for party operations in France. Le Pen served as an MEP from 2004 to 2016.
“These were fake contracts,” the chief judge stated, emphasising that while there was no personal enrichment, the involved MEPs benefited from “a certain financial comfort.” All nine former MEPs were found guilty, while the rulings for other party officials varied.
The court’s decision factored in the risk of repeat offenses and the potential for “major disturbance of public order” if a convicted individual were allowed to run for president.
Constitutional lawyer Anne-Charlène Bezzina expressed concerns about the ruling’s potential to fuel distrust in democratic institutions, noting the Kremlin’s reaction. She warned of increased pressure and skepticism towards the judiciary. The case raises critical questions about the intersection of political power, legal accountability, and the integrity of democratic processes in France.