France. Marine Le Pen took the floor after the court's decision

The leader of the French extreme right Marine Le Pen stated on Monday that the court issued a “political decision”, ruling a five -year ban on applying for public functions. “There was a violation of the rule of law,” she assessed. She declared that she would not withdraw from political life.

Leader of the French extreme right Marine Le Pen In an evening interview with TF1 television, she assessed that the court had issued a “political decision”, adjudicating a five -year ban on applying for public functions.

Le Pen confirmed that she would appeal against the judgment. “I will appeal because I am innocent,” she said.

She assured that the sentence did not mean “her withdrawal from political life in any way. She added that she was not going to succumb – as she said – “denying democracy.” “I will always be alongside the French, millions of them believe in me and trust me,” she said.

What about elections in 2027?

When asked about the potential candidacy in the 2027 election, the chairman of the party, Jordan Bardelli, Le Pen said that he was a “great advantage” of her party, but she expressed the hope that the RN “would not use this tribute earlier than necessary.” She said about herself that she was “combat” and would not let him eliminate. “There is a path, it is narrow, but it exists,” she added.

Le Pen talked about the indignation of “Millions of French” by the fact that in their country “judges implemented practices that – as it was thought – belong only to authoritarian regimes.” She criticized the legal mechanism used in her case, i.e. the immediate prohibition of applying for public functions, which applies even when making an appeal. She announced that this mechanism “does not apply” to a court case against her and her party.

Le Pen with a ban on applying for public positions

On Monday, the court found Marine Le Pen guilty of confusing large sums of money. The verdict is four years in prison, including two suspended and a five -year ban on public functions. It also means a ban on starting in the presidential election in 2027.

The court found Le Pen guilty of confusing public funds in the process regarding the fictitious employment of its party's MEPs. The trial took place in the autumn of 2024, and the sentence was made on Monday after a few months. Le Pen – according to her statements – did not expect an acquittal. At one of the hearings, she assessed that “could not be convinced” of the court that there was no abuse.

While imprisonment will not be carried out until the court road is exhausted in higher courts, the ban on applying for public functions, in practice – a ban on participating in elections – is enforced immediately. The prison penalty may be converted into, for example, electronic supervision.

The presidential candidate three times announced earlier that 2027 would be the last when she will start in the election for the highest office in the state. The Monday judgment of the court deprives her of this possibility.