Marine Le Pen, a popular right-wing politician, was convicted of embezzlement of public funds.
Marine Le Pen Statue head of rising far-right political movement In France, he was sentenced to non-custody in France and was barred from election for five years after a court found misappropriation of European Union funds.
The judge said the public office ban would take effect immediately, meaning Le Pen may not be able to run for France’s president in 2027.
Recent polls show she may have won the first round in that national election at least.
Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Le Pen, 56, won 41% of the vote in the last French presidential election in 2022, and there is no secret about her desire to run for the highest position in the United States again.
Sitting in the front row of the Paris court, Le Pen whispered “incredible” as the judge detailed his reasons for the guilty verdict. She walked out of court even before the verdict was announced.
Le Pen, along with eight current or former members, faces up to 10 years in prison for allegations of embezzlement of public funds. The court said Monday’s four-year sentence would be followed by a politician wearing ankle bracelet instead of being in prison.
The possibility of her ban on running for president in 2027 is a “political death” verdict.
