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Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in France’s growing far-right political scene, received a non-custodial prison sentence on Monday, alongside a five-year ban from running for public office. This sentence stems from a court ruling that found her guilty of misappropriating European Union funds intended for her National Rally party staff.
The court’s decision, handed down by Judge Benedicte de Perthuis, stipulated that the ban on public office would take immediate effect, precluding Le Pen from contesting the French presidency in 2027. The judge highlighted concerns regarding public order and the implications of allowing a previously convicted individual to run for such a significant position, as reported by the French news agency AFP.
In addition to the public office ban, Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence, although much of it will be served with an electronic tag rather than in incarceration, as two years were suspended. She was also fined over $100,000, with both aspects of the ruling available for appeal.
Despite these legal setbacks, recent polls indicate Le Pen could secure a leading position in the initial round of France’s upcoming national elections. In the 2022 presidential contest, she attracted 41% of the vote and has expressed a strong intention to vie for the top office once more.
During the court proceedings, Le Pen was visibly shocked as she described the verdict as “incredible” upon hearing the judge’s explanations for the ruling. She left the courtroom prior to the final announcement of her penalties.
Le Pen, alongside eight other current and former National Rally members, faced significant legal consequences, with charges that could have resulted in up to a decade of imprisonment for the embezzlement scheme. Additional guilty verdicts were reached for a group of parliamentary aides linked to the party’s activities. The judge noted that while Le Pen and her associates did not personally profit, their actions represented a “democratic bypass” that misled both the French Parliament and the electorate.
Le Pen remarked to La Tribune Dimanche that the judges wield significant power over her political movement’s future.
As a consequence of her legal troubles, it appears Le Pen may need to step back and allow the party’s current president, Jordan Bardella, to take the lead in pursuing the presidential aspirations that were once her own.
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