A Paris appeals court has upheld the conviction of far-right leader Marine Le Pen for embezzling European Union funds. The court found that her party, the National Rally, embezzled 2.8 million euros over more than 11 years. Le Pen was sentenced to a three-year jail term, with two years suspended and one year requiring the use of an electronic ankle tag for monitoring.
The ruling shortened Le Pen's ban on running for elected office to 15 months. This decision theoretically re-opens a path for the National Rally leader to launch a fourth bid for the French presidency in 2027, as the reduced ban makes her eligible to stand in the next election.
However, the court-ordered electronic monitor may make a presidential campaign politically and logistically difficult. While Le Pen has previously stated she would not run under these conditions, the ruling leaves her to decide whether to campaign while wearing the monitoring bracelet or allow her protege, Jordan Bardella, to lead.
Le Pen announced on television that she intends to remain a candidate for the 2027 presidential election. She denied that the National Rally operated a system to embezzle European Parliament funds and maintained that the party acted in good faith. She has stated her intention to appeal to France's highest court, arguing that the electronic tag may not be needed.