Le Pen cleared to run

AN appeals court in Paris yesterday cleared the way for popular far-right leader Marine Le Pen to possibly run for the French presidency next year - but it said she must wear an electronic bracelet, which she has said is a no-go.

- 

The verdict declared Ms Le Pen guilty of embezzlement but softened the ban on her holding elected office, putting the ball in her court. She must now decide whether campaigning in 2027 with a monitoring bracelet as part of her sentence to be served at home is possible.

The verdict appears to be a partial victory for Ms Le Pen. It reduced her ban on elected office from five years, handed down last year, to 45 months, two-thirds of which are suspended. It also cut her prison sentence from four years to three, two of which are suspended.