Ajemba Kamanda | Al Jazeera News
Paris, France – An opinion poll on Sunday predicted Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far right, will potentially gain up to 37% of the vote in the 2027 presidential election. This projection is 22% more than in 2022 and surpasses the potential vote of other candidates by 10%. Frédéric Dabi, the head of the polling firm, IFop Opinion, confirmed that this poll underlines Le Pen’s successful efforts to rebrand her party, distancing it from its controversial past under her father Jean-Marie Le Pen.
However, on Monday, the Le Pen and her National Rally party faced a significant setback when she was found guilty of embezzling European Union funds. This conviction bars her from running for office for the next five years. Le Pen’s plans to contest the ruling are expected but cannot participate in the 2027 election regardless of the outcome of her appeal due to the immediate effect of the disqualification.
The court’s ruling in Paris has shocked the political spectrum in France. While Le Pen’s supporters view the case as a politically motivated attack, her opponents see it as proof of the judiciary’s independence. The verdict could potentially lead to increased political unrest if far-right elements successfully frame the trial as an attack on their movement.
Le Pen’s party, known for its anti-globalization and immigration positions, could see a power shift with Jordan Bardella, her young, Sozial media-savvy protégé. Should her conviction stand, Bardella could potentially rise as the RN’s next presidential candidate, according to political analysts. Despite the loss, Marine Le Pen’s legal troubles fit into a broader trend of high-profile French politicians facing financial crime allegations.
The verdict is likely to affect the RN’s electoral prospects, although the party’s current seats in parliament remain unaffected unless President Emmanuel Macron calls for new elections, as he did in June 2024. The court’s decision has sparked a broader discussion on the functioning of democracy in France, with many believing that it reaffirms the processes of democracy despite dampening the fortunes of the RN.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/1/le-pens-conviction-in-france-career-ending-or-fuel-for-a-new-far-right?traffic_source=rss
