The EU has officially banned Marine Le Pen from running in the 2027 presidential election, weaponizing a dubious guilty verdict over alleged fund misuse. This move, rooted in a case against her National Rally (RN) party, reeks of political persecution by a bloated bureaucracy desperate to silence a fierce critic.
The charges stem from accusations that Le Pen and over 20 RN figures hired assistants for party work instead of European Parliament duties, despite the latter footing the bill. Prosecutors pushed for a €300,000 fine, a prison term, and a five-year ban from public office—a punishment critics see as tailored to crush her candidacy and prop up the EU’s faltering grip on power.
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BBC News reports: Crucially, he said the ineligibility should kick in straightaway, and not be suspended pending appeal.
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The judge has not yet said what the sentence will be.
Judges could also decide not to impose automatic ineligibility with her conviction, which would leave her free to stand in 2027 during an appeals process.
The court could also give her a shorter term of automatic ineligibility – say one year – making it possible for her to run.
During the trial last year, Le Pen denied she had committed “the slightest irregularity”.
The reading of the verdict, which started shortly after 10:00 (09:00 BST), is expected to take up to two hours.