French Far-Right Leader Barred From Running For Office For Five Years

Graft Conviction Means Le Pen Effectively Ruled Out of 2027 Presidential Contest

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PARIS - French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted on March 31 of embezzlement, a political watershed that effectively rules her out of the 2027 presidential race.

The French court's ruling was a catastrophic setback for Le Pen, the National Rally (RN) party chief, who has long been one of the most prominent figures in the European far right. She has also been a front runner in opinion polls for the 2027 contest.

The judge convicting Le Pen of misappropriating European Union funds also handed down a four-year prison sentence—two years of which are a suspended sentence and two that will be served under home detention.

She was also fined €100,000 ($145,000). Her party, RN, was ordered to pay €2 million in fines for the €4.1 million that it was accused of embezzling.

Le Pen, 56, will appeal against the verdict, her lawyer said, and neither the prison sentence nor the fine would be applied until her appeals are exhausted.

But the five-year ban on running for office kicks in immediately, via a so-called "provisional execution" measure requested by prosecutors.

Le Pen's right-hand man, RN president Jordan Bardella, said: "Today it is not only Marine Le Pen who was unjustly condemned; it was French democracy that was killed."