The appeals court upheld the conviction for embezzlement of EU funds but shortened the ban on holding public office. This theoretically leaves Le Pen’s path to a 2027 presidential candidacy open. The 57-year-old had previously ruled out campaigning with an ankle tag; whether she sticks to that stance remains unclear.
The trial in Paris centered on allegations that Le Pen’s party members misused EU funds meant for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016. The assistants allegedly worked at least partly for the party, then called Front National (now Rassemblement National). Le Pen denied responsibility in court.
The French presidential election will be held in two rounds on April 18 and May 2, 2027. Emmanuel Macron cannot run again after two terms. Polls suggest the far-right party has a good chance of making it to the runoff.
Source: www.spiegel.de
