Paris Court Upholds Le Pen Conviction but Cuts Ban, Clearing Path to 2027 Run

Overview

• The Paris Court of Appeal on Tuesday confirmed Marine Le Pen’s conviction for diverting €1.4 million in European Parliament funds but reduced penalties so she can legally run in April 2027.
• The court cut her inelegibility to 45 months, suspended 30 months and left 15 months effectively served, and reduced the prison term to three years with two years suspended and one year to be served under electronic monitoring.
• Hours after the decision, Le Pen announced she will be a candidate and said she will appeal to the Court of Cassation seeking suspension of the one‑year bracelet requirement so she can campaign without it.
• The Rassemblement National has kept Jordan Bardella ready as a fallback and central campaign figure, and Le Pen has signaled she would name him prime minister if elected.
• The conviction stems from a 2004–2016 scheme that routed parliamentary assistant funds to party staff, produced fines for Le Pen and the RN, and deepens a national debate over judicial intervention and voter choice ahead of the 2027 vote.