On March 31, 2025, a French court sentenced the leader of the far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, to four years in prison, two of which must be served in prison and two more years suspended. However, given the specifics of French law, the sentence can be commuted to wearing an electronic bracelet. In addition, Le Pen was fined 100,000 euros.
Content
- How it all began
- Court decision and politicians' reaction
- Political situation in France
- Future plans
The court also ruled that Le Pen should not stand for election for five years, meaning she will not be able to run for president of France in the 2027 election, in which she was recently one of the frontrunners. The ruling took immediate effect on the ban, although the decision can still be appealed.
How it all began
The crime Le Pen was found guilty of is that between 2004 and 2016, she and other members of her party illegally used European Parliament funds to finance fictitious jobs for assistants. According to the prosecution, these assistants were not carrying out their duties in the European Parliament but were working for the party at the national level, which allowed Le Pen and her party colleagues to spend more than 3 million euros from the EU budget.
The investigation began in late 2016 after an anonymous tip reached the French Ministry of Justice alleging illegal actions during Le Pen's time as an MEP from 2004 to 2017. The prosecutor's office opened an investigation in 2017, and the case has been a hot topic in all political circles in the country since then.
Court decision and politicians' reaction
The trial, which lasted several months, ended with a verdict. Le Pen was not present for the announcement of the decision, having left the courtroom before the verdict was announced. According to prosecutors, she tried to gain political influence through the illegal use of funds, which undermines trust in the political system.
Meanwhile, Jordan Bardella, who is the formal leader of the National Rally party, made a statement after the verdict. He believes that the court's decision is unfair not only to Marine Le Pen, but also to all of French democracy. Bardella, as one of the main candidates for the presidency in the absence of Le Pen, said that the court's decision was politically motivated.
“ This is not only an unfair sentence for Marine Le Pen, it is a blow to French democracy ,” he wrote on the social network X after the court’s decision was announced.
Political situation in France
The court's decision has angered many politicians, with some even raising concerns about how the judicial system influences elections. Prime Minister François Bayrou and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin have also expressed concerns that the courts could decide who is eligible to run for president.
Marine Le Pen's political opponents see this sentence as another attempt to hinder her political movement, although in the previous elections she was unable to win by uniting all political forces to oppose her. However, according to some experts, this ban could lead to an even greater weakening of the current government if the “National Rally” unites with other political forces.
Future plans
Despite the court's decision, Le Pen intends to appeal the verdict and continue fighting for her political career. With a strong chance of winning in 2027, her voter support remains high. Recent polls show that she could win up to 37% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election, significantly ahead of her main rivals.
However, the National Unity Party is already preparing for possible changes and has a reserve candidate in the person of Jordan Bardella, who, given the circumstances, may become the main candidate in the 2027 elections. This leader, although younger, has great potential, especially given his popularity on social networks such as TikTok.
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