Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader, was found guilty of embezzlement by a criminal court in Paris on Monday and immediately barred from running for public office for five years, jeopardizing her plans to compete in France’s 2027 presidential election.
The verdict was a major blow to the perennial presidential ambitions of Ms. Le Pen, an anti-immigrant, nationalist politician who was widely seen as a front-runner in the 2027 race, despite three past failed bids. Looking grim, murmuring “incredible,” she walked briskly out of the courtroom before the judges had given her exact sentence.
She did not address the dozens of camera crews that awaited her outside the courtroom, but she was expected to speak on French television later on Monday evening.
Ms. Le Pen, 56, was also sentenced to four years in prison, with two of those years suspended, and a fine of 100,000 euros, or about $108,000. She has long denied any wrongdoing in the case, which involved accusations that her party, the National Rally, illegally used several million euros in European Parliament funds for party expenses between 2004 and 2016.
She is widely expected to appeal the verdict, which would put most of her sentence on hold. But the court ruled that her electoral ineligibility is effective immediately. As a result, only a successful appeal before the 2027 deadline to enter the race would allow her to run.
That is not impossible, but it will be difficult. The appeals process is slow in France, and even if a new trial took take place before the 2027 election, it is unclear whether the prosecution’s case would be overturned.
Some politicians, even those opposed to Ms. Le Pen, have expressed fears that barring her from competing in the presidential race, despite her party’s popularity, could fuel a democratic crisis. The ruling does nothing to prevent her protégé, Jordan Bardella, 29, from running.
The verdict could usher in a period of renewed political turmoil if Ms. Le Pen decides to lash out against France’s fragile government or if anger spills over into the streets. The government struggled to pass a budget this year and could still be toppled at any time by lawmakers in the lower house, where Ms. Le Pen’s party is the single largest.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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