Marine Le Pen has publicly announced her intention to remain a candidate in France’s 2027 presidential election, moving to quell uncertainty regarding her political future. The National Rally leader made the declaration on the French television channel TF1, stating, “Tonight, I am a candidate for the presidential election.”
This announcement follows a decision by a Paris appeals court on Tuesday, which upheld her 2025 conviction for the embezzlement of European Union funds. However, the court’s ruling notably cleared the way for her to participate in the upcoming presidential race. The judges, who also upheld the convictions of eleven of her co-defendants, stated that they considered “voters’ freedom of choice” when determining the terms of her ineligibility.
The appellate court sentenced Le Pen to three years of imprisonment, with one year to be served at home under electronic monitoring, alongside a €100,000 fine. Additionally, she was handed a 45-month disqualification from holding public office, 30 months of which were suspended. This results in an effective 15-month period of ineligibility, a duration she has already served due to the immediate enforcement of the 2025 judgment.
Le Pen confirmed she intends to challenge the ruling by referring her case to France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation. She stated her goal is to “pursue all available avenues of appeal” to defend her innocence. This legal challenge aims to overturn the initial ruling, which had previously imposed a four-year sentence, including two years of electronic monitoring, a five-year ban from running for office, and a €100,000 fine.
Earlier, she had indicated she would not campaign with a bracelet on as it would impact her ability to move around the country. On Tuesday, she struck a more defiant tone. The court’s decision to reduce the period of ineligibility ensures that the three-time presidential candidate remains eligible to seek the presidency in 2027.
