Overview
- Hearings at the Paris appeals court run through February 12, with a decision expected in the summer of 2026.
- In March 2025 Le Pen was convicted of misappropriating public funds, receiving a four‑year sentence (partly suspended and partly convertible to house arrest), a €100,000 fine, and an immediate five‑year bar on standing for office.
- Prosecutors say European Parliament assistant salaries were used to finance the Rassemblement National, with losses estimated at about €4.1–€4.3 million and roughly €1.1 million repaid.
- RN leader Jordan Bardella is positioned as the likely presidential contender if the ban is upheld, and recent polls have shown him highly competitive.
- The president of the Paris court warned against foreign pressure after reports the US administration considered sanctions on judges, a claim Washington has denied.