Paris: In a decisive turn with major ramifications for French politics, prosecutors in Paris have urged an appeals court to uphold a previous conviction against far-right leader Marine Le Pen and to enforce a five-year ban from holding public office. The request was made on Tuesday during the ongoing appeal hearing in a high-profile case centered on the alleged misuse of European Union funds.
At the Paris appeals court, the prosecution reiterated its request that Le Pen be sentenced to four years in prison and prohibited from standing for or holding elected office for five years, mirroring sanctions imposed in the earlier trial. Prosecutors argued that the evidence shows a systematic misappropriation of European Parliament funds intended to pay assistants, but instead used to remunerate staff working for Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party in France.
The appeal stems from a March 2025 conviction, where a lower court found Le Pen “at the heart” of a scheme diverting millions of euros from EU parliamentary budgets. That initial judgment included a four-year prison sentence of which portions were suspended or subject to house arrest arrangements alongside fines and disqualification from office.
The prosecutor’s insistence on maintaining or potentially expanding the penalties could profoundly affect Le Pen’s political career. If the appeal court confirms the ineligibility period, she would be barred from contesting public office, including the 2027 French presidential election, where she had been considered a leading contender.
Le Pen, a three-time presidential candidate and long-time figurehead of France’s far-right, has denied wrongdoing, portraying the proceedings as politically motivated and defending her actions as acceptable within the context of party staffing practices. She and her legal team are fighting to overturn last year’s verdict and to keep her political ambitions alive.
Beyond Le Pen’s personal prospects, the appeal trial touches on broader questions about political financing, accountability within European institutions, and the limits of judicial intervention in electoral politics. Prosecutors told judges they aim to “largely uphold” the liability findings from the original trial, a stance that underscores the seriousness with which French legal authorities view the alleged embezzlement scheme.
The appeals process is expected to play out over the coming weeks or months, with a final ruling likely well before the end of the year. A conviction at this stage could then itself be taken to France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, underscoring the long legal road ahead.
Political analysts are watching closely, with some suggesting that if Le Pen is sidelined, Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, could emerge as the party’s presidential candidate, though his broader appeal outside core party supporters remains an open question.
As the legal drama unfolds in the corridors of the Paris judiciary, its outcome may not only determine the direction of a prominent politician’s career but also reshape the landscape of French national politics in the crucial run-up to the next presidential election.