PARIS, France — Marine Le Pen, one of Europe’s most prominent far-right figures, has been barred from running in France’s next presidential election after a court convicted her of embezzling millions in public funds.
The ruling, delivered this week, imposes a five-year election ban and a two-year suspended prison sentence on Le Pen, 56, who had been considered a frontrunner in the 2027 race.
She was also ordered to serve an additional two years under electronic surveillance.
The Paris court found that Le Pen and members of her National Rally party had orchestrated a “system” of embezzlement, diverting approximately $3.4 million of European Union funds to pay party staff under false pretences.
Le Pen has condemned the verdict as politically motivated, comparing her treatment to that of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The establishment brought out the nuclear bomb,” she said in the French Parliament on Tuesday.
“And if it is using such a powerful weapon against us, it’s obviously because we’re about to win the elections.”
Her lawyers have vowed to appeal the ruling.
The case has sent shockwaves through French politics and Europe’s far-right movement, where Le Pen has long been a central figure.
For years, she worked to reshape the National Rally’s image, moving away from its controversial past while maintaining a staunchly anti-immigration platform.
An Ifop poll conducted days before the court ruling had shown Le Pen leading the presidential field with 36% support, well ahead of Macron ally Édouard Philippe at 25%.
President Emmanuel Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
In the wake of the conviction, Le Pen’s allies and far-right leaders across Europe denounced the verdict.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Dutch politician Geert Wilders voiced their support, while Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the ruling “a violation of democratic norms.”
In the United States, Trump drew parallels with his own legal troubles.
“She was banned for running for five years and she’s the leading candidate — that sounds like this country,” he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.
Tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk echoed the sentiment online, alleging without evidence that “the radical left” had used the legal system to block opponents.
Despite the backlash, French authorities have stood by the court’s decision.
The case against Le Pen is the latest in a long line of corruption scandals involving French politicians.
Former Presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy were both convicted of corruption after leaving office.
The court’s ruling also casts uncertainty over the future of the National Rally.
Le Pen has suggested that her protégé and party president, Jordan Bardella, 29, could step forward as the party’s presidential candidate.
“Maybe he will have to go sooner than necessary,” she said in a television interview on Tuesday.
Bardella, who rose quickly through the party ranks and commands a strong social media following, had been expected to serve as Le Pen’s prime minister if she won in 2027.
A survey by Harris Interactive conducted after the ruling showed Bardella and Le Pen with similar popularity levels, though analysts cautioned that his leadership could face internal resistance.
“There’s likely to be a lot of infighting,” said Cécile Alduy, a French studies professor at Stanford University.
“His debating and media skills pale in comparison to Marine’s steady, bulldozer-like calm.”
Another possible contender is Le Pen’s niece, Marion Maréchal, who has distanced herself from the family name but remains a prominent figure on the far right.
For now, Le Pen remains a lawmaker and could continue to play a disruptive role in France’s volatile political landscape.
Following last year’s inconclusive snap elections, President Macron’s fragile centrist coalition faces the prospect of fresh no-confidence votes — potentially supported by Le Pen’s National Rally.
“This is the kind of obstacle you don’t hop over just by a publicity campaign or ignoring it,” Alduy said. “More chaos is certainly in store on all sides.”
