Le Pen Denounces Court Ruling as Political Vendetta

Mon Sep 29 2025 12:09:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Marine Le Pen dismisses embezzlement conviction as a politically motivated 'witch hunt' during rally as she vows to appeal.

In a recent court ruling, Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally, was convicted for embezzling EU funds, leading to her five-year ban from public office. Le Pen, rallying support in Paris, labeled the ruling as a political attack and has announced her intention to appeal. Additionally, the party’s president voiced concern over the implications for democracy in France, while France's justice system reassured public opinion on the ruling's fairness.

France's far-right National Rally (RN) leader, Marine Le Pen, has publicly condemned her recent court conviction as a "witch hunt," following a ruling that prohibits her from running for office for five years due to embezzlement of €2.9 million (£2.5 million) in EU funds. During a rally in Paris, where thousands of supporters gathered, Le Pen reiterated her resolve, stating, "I won't give up."

The court's decision came after it determined that Le Pen had facilitated the misappropriation of EU financial resources between 2004 and 2016 for party use. In response to this ruling, which includes a €100,000 fine and a four-year prison sentence—with two years suspended—Le Pen is set to appeal while arguing that the conviction is politically motivated.

National Rally's president, Jordan Bardella, echoed this sentiment at the rally, characterizing the court ruling as a direct attack on democracy and claiming it aims to eliminate Le Pen from the 2027 presidential candidacy. He suggested the ruling is not reflective of the judicial system as a whole but specifically targeted Le Pen.

Gabriel Attal, from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party, countered by asserting that actions have consequences, stating, "you steal, you pay." Furthermore, Le Pen notably compared her struggle to that of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., framing her fight as a battle for French civil rights.

Poll results indicated that a majority of French citizens believe justice was served impartially regarding Le Pen's case. The Paris Court of Appeal anticipates providing a ruling on her appeal by the summer of 2026, just months ahead of the presidential elections.

While Le Pen was prepared for her fourth presidential run and appeared to have favorable odds, her party speculates on future leadership dynamics—Laurent Jacobelli hinted that Bardella could emerge as a strong alternative candidate. A poll indicated that approximately 60% of RN voters would favor Bardella over Le Pen should he choose to run.

Le Pen's allies from across Europe condemned the ruling as an infringement on democracy, intensifying political tensions as the nation approaches future elections.