www.fastcompany.com
A French court on Monday convictedMarine Le Penof embezzlement and barred her from seeking public office for five years ahammer blowto the far-right leaders presidential hopes and an earthquake for French politics.Speaking to French TV channel TF1 in her first reaction to the verdict, Le Pen called the ruling a political move aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election and said that millions of French people are outraged.She called the verdict a violation of the rule of law, said she would appeal and asked that the court proceedings take place before the 2027 campaign. She would remain ineligible to be a candidate until the appeal is decided.Le Pen also was sentenced to four years imprisonment, with two to be served under house arrest and two suspended.The court ruling was a political as well as a judicial temblor for France, hobbling one of the leading contenders to succeed President Emmanuel Macron at the end of his second and final term. So broad were the political implications that even some of Le Pens opponents said the Paris court had gone too far.But its too early to say how the case will affect voters. The potential elimination of Le Pen could fire up diehard supporters, just as U.S. Presidents Donald Trumps legal problems motivated some of his. But it could also leave her on the sidelines, deflating what had been her upward trajectory.Le Pen herself was not around to hear the chief judge pronounce the sentence that threw her career into a tailspin. By then, she had already strode out of the courtroom after the judge first indicated that the 56-year-old would be barred from office, without saying straight away for how long.Although Le Pen did not immediately comment, her supporters quickly expressed disapproval. Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old protg who could replace her on the ballot in 2027 if she cannot run, said on X that Le Pen was being unjustly condemned and that French democracy was being executed.Hungarys populist prime minister, Viktor Orbn, quickly took to social media to express his support, posting Je suis Marine! I am Marine on X.Among political opponents of Le Pen who expressed unease was conservative lawmaker Laurent Wauquiez, who said the verdict put a very heavy weight on our democracy.A political death scenarioThe sentence could prevent Le Pen from making what would have been her fourth run for the presidency in 2027, a scenario she has previously described as a political death. The partys most recognized figurehead and a formidable campaigner, Le Pen was runner-up to Macron in the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, and her partys electoral supporthas grownin recent years.Only an appellate ruling that overturns the ban on public office could restore her hopes of running. But with the election just two years away, time is running out. Theres no guarantee that an appeals court would rule more favorably, and appeals in France can take several years to conclude.The verdict was a resounding defeat for Le Pens National Rally party, formerly the National Front.She and 24 other party officialswere accused of having used moneyintended for European Union parliamentary aides to instead pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, violating the 27-nation blocs regulations.The judge handed down guilty verdicts to eight other current or former members of her party who, like Le Pen, previously served as European Parliament lawmakers. Also convicted were 12 people who served as parliamentary aides and three others. Only one defendant was acquitted. All had denied wrongdoing.The chief judge said Le Pen had been at the heart of a system that her party used to siphon off EU parliament funds, though she said they didnt enrich themselves personally. The ruling described the embezzlement as a democratic bypass that deceived the parliament and voters.From the front row of the court,Le Penshowed no immediate reaction when the judge first declared her guilty. But she grew more agitated as the verdict was delivered in greater detail. She shook her head in disagreement as the judge said Le Pens party illegally used European funds for its own benefit.Incredible, she whispered at one point. She then left without warning, picking up her bag and striding out, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. The abrupt departure left many in the courtroom in disbelief as they turned their heads toward the door.Rodolphe Bosselut, Le Pens lawyer, said he was appalled at the courts decision, which he described as extremely scandalous and said it would be appealed.The electoral ineligibility takes effect immediately, but the house arrest is suspended while she appeals.Le Pen has enjoyed growing supportDuring the nine-week trial that took place in late 2024, Le Pen argued that ineligibility would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate and disenfranchise her supporters.There are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves deprived of their candidate in the election, she told the panel of three judges.Le Pen also serves as a lawmaker in Frances National Assembly, a role not affected by the ineligibility ruling that she can keep for now.But if Macron dissolves parliament again, as he did last year, and calls early legislative elections, she would be barred from running.Sylvie Corbet and John Leicester, Associated PressThomas Adamson and Justin Spike contributed to this report.
