Le Pen Convicted but Eligible for 2027 Race
France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been convicted by the Paris Court of Appeal of complicity in the misappropriation of European Parliament funds but received a reduced ineligibility penalty that leaves her legally able to run in the 2027 presidential election.
The court imposed 45 months of ineligibility, with 30 months suspended, resulting in 15 months of effective disqualification and confirmed a one-year term of home detention under an electronic bracelet.
The ruling stems from a long-running investigation into the National Rally (formerly National Front) between 2004 and 2016. Prosecutors accused the party of employing fictitious parliamentary assistants, many of whom actually worked for the party in France, to channel more than €4 million in EU funds toward domestic political activities. Le Pen, 57, was found at the centre of the scheme.
In March 2025, a lower court had sentenced her to a five-year ban on holding elected office (with immediate effect), a four-year prison term (two years suspended), and a €100,000 fine. The appeal court, which heard the case from January to February 2026, partially accepted defence arguments that the definition of parliamentary work had been applied too narrowly. It upheld the conviction but lightened the political ban while maintaining the electronic monitoring requirement.
Le Pen has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing the case as politically motivated. She is scheduled to address the nation in a prime-time TF1 interview at 8 p.m. local time.
The lighter ineligibility period is expected to expire before the April 2027 first round, preserving her eligibility. However, the bracelet directly conflicts with her repeated statements that she would not campaign while wearing one. Le Pen is expected to appeal further to the Court of Cassation, a process that could extend for months or years.
National Rally supporters have condemned the decision as judicial interference aimed at sidelining their leader, while opponents viewed it as a defence of public funds. Jordan Bardella, the party’s 30-year-old president and Le Pen’s likely successor if she steps aside, has been preparing contingency plans.
The verdict does not immediately strip Le Pen of her National Assembly seat but bars her from seeking re-election or other offices during the ineligibility window. The case has left France’s political landscape in uncharted territory.
A presidential candidate campaigning with an ankle bracelet would be unprecedented in the Fifth Republic, raising questions about campaign logistics, voter perception and judicial oversight. The ruling ensures that issues of European funds and accountability will remain central to the 2027 contest.
