Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French opposition party, the National Rally, has been banned from politics for five years after being convicted of misusing European Union funds, a court has ruled.
Le Pen, who is leading opinion polls for the presidency, has been given a four-year prison sentence, two of which were suspended, with the option of serving the remaining time under electronic monitoring.
Le Pen and several associated party personnel were found guilty of violating the arcane and oft-mocked EU regulations after diverting funds meant for EU parliamentary assistants to pay staff from 2004 to 2016.
Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis, who led the proceedings, described the actions as “a serious and lasting attack on the rules of democratic life” in Europe and France.
Juergen Hardt, a senior German lawmaker with Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz’s conservatives, responded to the ruling, saying, “As a Member of the European Parliament, Marine Le Pen saw the European Union only as a self-service store with which she could finance herself and her party.”
“The French court is right to put a stop to her political ambitions,” Hardt added.
“The French Republic and its laws protect the EU and taxpayers’ money.”
“Le Pen’s fate should be a warning to all corrupt politicians on the left and right fringes: In a democratic nation of law, fraud and corruption always come to light at some point.”
“The new German government is focusing on reviving the Franco-German friendship. France has many outstanding politicians who will quickly consign Le Pen to oblivion.”
Le Pen’s anticipated candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election is now in jeopardy, with many likening the ruling to nothing more than a strategy to keep France in a one-party state.
However, Le Pen and her co-defendants denied any wrongdoing and argued their actions were within legal bounds.
The conviction also affects Catherine Griset, who received a suspended sentence and electoral ban, and Louis Aliot, who received a partially suspended 18-month prison term.
While Le Pen has already made substantial inroads into mainstream politics in recent years, the verdict represents the latest case of lawfare against populist parties.
Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s popular prime minister, posted on X following the conviction, with Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini slamming the decision.
“Je suis Marine,” Orbán wrote.
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