Macron condemns threats to judges after Le Pen ban

Emmanuel Macron has said the French judiciary is independent and must be protected as a judge was put under police guard after sentencing Marine Le Pen to an immediate ban from running for election.

- Angelique Chrisafis

Speaking yesterday, two days after the far-right leader's conviction for the embezzlement of European parliament funds, the French president told ministers that "judges must be protected" and that "all litigants have the right to appeal".

Le Pen, head of the far-right National Rally party (RN), has expressed fury at what she called a "nuclear bomb" by the "system" and has already lodged an appeal.

A court found her guilty on Monday of running a system of fake job contracts to embezzle the European parliament, siphoning European funds intended for parliamentary assistants to instead pay party workers in France.

Le Pen has since said the judges' decision to impose an immediate ban on her taking part in elections for five years "excluded" her from the 2027 presidential race and was a threat to democracy.

Le Pen's party president, Jordan Bardella, who has complained of "red judges" trying to scupper the election, said the party would hold a peaceful rally in protest this weekend, warning that any threats and violence against judges were unacceptable.