- A Paris court found Marine Le Pen and eight MEPs guilty of embezzling EU funds.
- The ruling could ban Le Pen from running in the 2027 presidential election.
- If disqualified, her protégé Jordan Bardella may replace her as the far-right candidate.
A Paris court has found far-right leader Marine Le Pen and eight Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from her National Rally party guilty of embezzling EU public funds. The verdict could put an end to her political career and block her from running in the 2027 French presidential election.
Le Pen and her party members were accused of using European Parliament funds meant for parliamentary aides to pay party staff between 2004 and 2016. Prosecutors claimed this was a misuse of public money, estimating the total fraud at several million euros.
Le Pen denied any wrongdoing and called the case politically motivated. However, the court has the power to immediately ban her from holding office, even if she appeals the decision.
If the court enforces an immediate ban, Le Pen will not be able to run for president in 2027. She was expected to be one of the strongest challengers in the race after finishing second to Emmanuel Macron in 2017 and 2022.
Le Pen warned that such a ban would mean her “political death” and that millions of French voters would lose their candidate. Her supporters claim this is an attack on democracy, while critics argue it exposes corruption within her party.
If Le Pen is disqualified, Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old protégé, is the most likely candidate for the far-right. Bardella has been loyal to Le Pen but has also tried to distance himself from scandals, hinting at a possible shift in leadership.
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