Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader, was found guilty of embezzlement by a criminal court in Paris on Monday, which could potentially jeopardize her plans to compete in France’s 2027 presidential election.

This verdict signifies a significant setback for Ms. Le Pen’s longstanding political ambitions. An anti-immigrant, nationalist politician, she was considered a leading contender in the 2027 race, despite her three previous unsuccessful bids for the presidency.

Ms. Le Pen, who is currently 56 years old, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the case. This case involved allegations that her political party, the National Rally, had improperly utilized several million euros from European Parliament funds for party expenses during the period between 2004 and 2016.

Her political future remains uncertain as she awaits sentencing from the judge.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/world/europe/france-marine-le-pen-embezzlement-trial.html