French far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s political ambitions have been dealt a severe blow as a court in Paris sentenced her to a five-year ban on running for office.
The ruling, delivered on Monday, has cast uncertainty over her potential bid for the French presidency in 2027.
Le Pen, the president of the parliamentary group of the Rassemblement National (RN) party, was also handed a four-year prison term in connection with the embezzlement of European public funds.
However, she will not serve jail time, as two years of the sentence have been suspended, while the other two will be spent under electronic surveillance.
The verdict has sparked an uproar within Le Pen’s party, with National Rally leader Jordan Bardella taking to social media to condemn the ruling as “unjust.” He further claimed that the decision amounted to an “execution” of French democracy, fueling outrage among Le Pen’s supporters.
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With Le Pen sidelined from electoral politics for the next five years, the future of the far-right movement in France remains uncertain.
Her exclusion could open the door for other figures within RN or even reshape the broader political landscape ahead of the next presidential election.
For now, Le Pen’s legal troubles have added a new layer of volatility to France’s political climate, setting the stage for further legal battles and a possible appeal against the decision.