French Court to Decide If Marine Le Pen Can Run for President in 2027

The Paris Court of Appeals is set to deliver a verdict on Tuesday regarding Marine Le Pen's appeal against her March 2025 conviction for misusing European Parliament funds. The court's decision, expected from 13:30 local time, could determine whether the far-right leader can run in France's 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, 57, was found guilty of illegally paying National Rally party employees with funds meant for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016. The initial ruling imposed a suspended prison sentence and a five-year ban from public office, which Le Pen contests, denying any wrongdoing.

Le Pen has expressed her intention to run for president for the fourth time but indicated she might withdraw if restrictions such as imprisonment, electronic monitoring, or other legal constraints hinder her campaign. The court may uphold the five-year ban, effectively barring her from the 2027 race, or reduce the ban to two years or less, allowing her to participate. Alternatively, the court could annul the ban entirely, keeping her candidacy viable.

The prosecution has urged the court to impose a harsher sentence, including four years in prison (three suspended) and a five-year political ban, accusing Le Pen of leading a scheme to divert EU public funds for party activities. Should Le Pen be disqualified, Jordan Bardella, 30, president of the National Rally and a prominent right-wing politician, is expected to become the party's presidential candidate.

Even if the appeal is rejected, Le Pen can still appeal to France's Supreme Court, though it remains unclear if this would delay the enforcement of her sentence, a factor critical with the presidential election less than a year away.