France’s Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of misappropriating European funds to finance her far-right National Rally (RN) party, a case that could potentially bar her from running in the 2027 presidential election.
The judge has yet to announce the sentence.
Last year, prosecutors argued that Le Pen should face not only a €300,000 (£250,000) fine and a prison term but also a five-year ineligibility to hold public office. They recommended that this ineligibility should take effect immediately, rather than being suspended pending the appeal Le Pen is expected to file if convicted.
However, judges could decide not to impose automatic ineligibility, allowing Le Pen to remain eligible to run in the 2027 election while the appeal process unfolds. Alternatively, they could impose a shorter term of automatic ineligibility, such as one year, which would still allow her to stand for office.
Le Pen, along with more than 20 senior party members, was accused of hiring assistants who worked on RN party affairs rather than for the European Parliament, which funded their positions.
During the trial, Le Pen denied any wrongdoing, insisting she had committed “the slightest irregularity.”
The verdict is being read today, with the process expected to take up to two hours.
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