The future of the far-right leader Marine Le Pen – and France’s political landscape – will be decided on Monday when a court hands down its verdict on charges she and party officials embezzled money from the European parliament.
If convicted, the three-time presidential candidate of the National Rally (RN) could be barred from standing to succeed Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 presidential election.
She has just been convicted of embezzling public funds and now faces potential ineligibility from holding office with the key question being whether the penalty will take effect immediately.
The Paris Court has not yet ruled on her ineligibility, but such a penalty is expected since it is mandatory for the crime she was charged with. However, the “exécution provisoire” of the penalty, meaning it would apply right away, even if she appeals, remains uncertain at this time.
In addition to the ineligibility ruling, she faces a five-year prison sentence, with a mandatory two-year term to be served in jail, a sentence that is still subject to adjustment, as well as a 300’000 € fine.
Update: She has also been declared ineligible with immediate effect, alongside her co-defendants. Her future political career now hangs in the balance, and she will not be a presidential candidate in the 2027 French election.
Less than a year ago. The silence from Meloni today is interesting.
And Patriots for Europe, that political group in the European Parliament comprising Viktor Orban, Matteo Salvini and Geert Wilders has a leadership issue. Rassemblement National is the largest subgroup within the group.
You steal €4,000,000 you have to expect some punishment. 2 years wearing a bracelet and being told you can’t run for office doesn’t appear to be much more than a slap on a wrist.
Or is there any sound evidence that she didn’t steal the money? Regardless of why.
Instead having to block out RN, which cn only work for so long, they got rid of the main opposition politician altogether. And after 2027 she seems to think she’s too old to run again, or simply has had enough.
But of course that’s totally innocuous, political prosecution is only bad when it’s not the established left-leaning parties are doing it.
