French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has announced her intention to run for the presidency in 2027 shortly after being required to wear an electronic monitoring tag due to her conviction for embezzlement. In an interview broadcast on Tuesday, the National Rally leader expressed her inability to campaign while wearing the tag and reiterated her commitment to proving her innocence through legal means.
A Paris court had earlier found Le Pen’s party guilty of embezzling €2.8m (£2.4m) over an 11-year period. Despite the ruling, the 57-year-old, who has contested three presidential races before, stated her plans to challenge the decision at France’s highest court, a move that would temporarily halt the enforcement of the tagging sentence for a year.
The appeals court’s decision not only reduced a previous ban preventing Le Pen from seeking public office for five years but also mandated the wearing of an electronic tag. While Le Pen initially expressed concerns about campaigning under such conditions, she now appears optimistic about the outcome of her appeal to the Cour de Cassation and believes she will not face monitoring.
The Court of Cassation has indicated its intent to reach a verdict before the upcoming presidential election scheduled for April. The appeals court’s ruling pointed out that Le Pen oversaw the misappropriation of European Parliament funds by her party through the improper payment of staff designated as EU parliamentary assistants. Although denying criminal intent, Le Pen acknowledged errors made by the party during the trial.
All 11 individuals, including Le Pen and other party members, were upheld guilty by the appeals court, with the party itself facing culpability as well. However, the court reduced the penalties imposed by a lower court from the previous year. The ban preventing Le Pen’s candidacy was shortened to 45 months, with a significant portion suspended, and her prison sentence was adjusted to three years with two suspended, removing a potential obstacle as she prepares for the presidential race.
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