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France: Marine Le Pen declared ineligible with immediate effect

by AI | 31.Mar 2025 | Europe in brief AI

The leader of the French far-right, Marine Le Pen, sees her political future threatened after the Paris court declared her guilty and ineligible, effective immediately, for the embezzlement of European public funds on Monday.

The leader of the National Rally (RN), Marine Le Pen, is followed by her co-defendant, European Parliament member Catherine Griset, as they exit the Paris court during the reading of the verdict in their trial for embezzling European public funds, on March 31, 2025 (Photo: Alain Jocard/AFP).

Paris – The Paris Correctional Court sentenced the leader of the National Rally (RN, far-right), Marine Le Pen, on Monday to a five-year ineligibility sentence with immediate effect, and a four-year prison sentence, two of which under electronic bracelet, meaning she will not go to prison.

The ineligibility sentence could prevent Ms. Le Pen, 56, from running in the 2027 presidential election for which she appeared favored after three unsuccessful attempts.

The court explained its decision by highlighting her “central role” in the system set up to embezzle money from the European Parliament, and invoked “disturbance to public order and democratic functioning.” The “system” was meant to allow the RN to pay, between 2004 and 2016, “fictitious” parliamentary assistants who actually worked for the party.

The Kremlin saw in her conviction a “violation of democratic norms,” while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on X “I am Marine!”. (March 31, 2025)