Paris appeals court upholds Marine Le Pen’s guilt for misuse of public funds, bars her from running in the 2027 presidential election

The Paris Court of Appeal has upheld the fraud conviction of Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), in a ruling that could cast doubt on her participation in France’s 2027 presidential election.

According to the ruling, Le Pen has been banned from holding public office for 15 months, while the measure also includes one year under electronic monitoring.

The investigation concerns allegations that European Parliament funds were used to pay members of her party staff in France, instead of those individuals serving as parliamentary assistants.

In the initial trial, Marine Le Pen, along with 24 others, including former MEPs, assistants and accountants, was found guilty over a scheme that the court said had been carried out between 2004 and 2016.

The original ruling against her provided for a five-year ban on holding public office, as well as a four-year prison sentence, two years of which were suspended.

During the appeal proceedings, Le Pen denied that the National Rally had set up a mechanism to appropriate European funds, insisting that the party had acted in “complete good faith.”

She has described the case as a “witch hunt” against her and her political force, while some of her supporters have sent threats to the judges.

On the other hand, prosecutors have argued that after taking over the party leadership from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2011, Marine Le Pen turned this practice of using European funds into an organized system.

This Court of Appeal ruling comes at an important stage for politics in France, as Marine Le Pen had been considered one of the leading names in the race for the 2027 presidential election. If she is prevented from running, her party’s alternative is its young leader Jordan Bardella.