A French court has convicted Marine Le Pen of embezzlement, along with eight other current or former members of her party, although the exact sentence remains undisclosed. Le Pen, who faced the judge in a Paris courtroom without any visible reaction, was found guilty of misappropriating European Union (EU) funds intended for parliamentary aides to finance her party’s operations between 2004 and 2016.
The ruling raises significant implications for Le Pen’s political ambitions, particularly her potential candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. If the court deems her ineligible to run, it could effectively end her political career, a scenario she has described as “political death.” Throughout the proceedings, which spanned nine weeks, Le Pen argued that disqualifying her would disenfranchise her substantial voter base—about 11 million people who have supported her movement.
The court’s findings indicate that Le Pen and her co-defendants could face up to ten years in prison, with the possibility of an appeal that might lead to a retrial. The judges also implicated 12 additional individuals who served as aides during this period, reinforcing the notion that her party operated a systematic abuse of EU funds.
During the trial, it was revealed that funds meant for parliamentary staff had been diverted to cover costs including personal security for Le Pen and salaries for aides performing political work for the party, previously known as the National Front. Prosecutors have requested a two-year prison sentence for Le Pen and a five-year ban from holding office.
Le Pen has consistently denounced the accusations, asserting she did not orchestrate the misuse of funds and contending that her aides’ work had legitimate parliamentary purposes that intersected with party activities. The trial and its consequences signal a challenging time ahead for Le Pen, who has been a formidable figure in French politics, having secured second place in the presidential elections in both 2017 and 2022. If she is barred from running, Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old protégé who took over party leadership in 2021, could emerge as her successor.