Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-right, was found guilty of embezzlement by a criminal court in Paris on Monday and is now banned from running for public office for five years. This has sparked a democratic crisis in France, as the verdict effectively bars her from participating in the 2027 presidential election. The presiding judge stated that nobody is entitled to “immunity in violation of the rule of law.” Jordan Bardella, Ms. Le Pen’s protégé, and other hard-right leaders across Europe expressed their outrage and disagreement with the verdict. The verdict could lead to political turmoil in France if Ms. Le Pen decides to lash out against the fragile government or if anger spills over into the streets. Ms. Le Pen’s political ineligibility is effective immediately, and she has the option to appeal before the 2027 deadline to enter the race. Even if an appeal trial takes place before the election, it is unclear whether the prosecution’s case would be overturned.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/world/europe/france-marine-le-pen-embezzlement-2027-election-ban.html