Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in French politics, has declared her intention to run for president next year, a move that comes just hours after a Paris court upheld her conviction for embezzling over £1 million from the European Parliament. The National Rally party veteran, who was a strong contender to succeed Emmanuel Macron, faces a sentence of three years in prison, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine.
Le Pen will be permitted to serve the remaining year of her sentence with an electronic monitoring tag. However, she stated her intention to appeal the ruling to France's Supreme Court, the Court of Cassation. She indicated that this appeal would suspend the sentence's immediate effects, allowing her to campaign without the electronic tag.
"I want to pursue all available legal avenues to defend my innocence in this case," Le Pen said in an interview on the French TV channel TF1, where she confirmed her candidacy. "I am a candidate in the presidential election."
The court also imposed a 45-month suspension from public office, with 30 months suspended, meaning 15 months are effective. This period covers the presidential election scheduled for next May, when President Macron will be unable to seek re-election after serving two terms.
Le Pen's legal team had argued that a portion of the ineligibility period had already been served. Despite previously stating she would not campaign with an electronic tag, her decision to appeal to the Court of Cassation has changed this circumstance.
When questioned about the potential impact on her party's presidential aspirations, Le Pen remained resolute, stating, "I will not change my mind."
Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old president of the National Rally, had been expected to take over Le Pen's presidential candidacy. However, Bardella expressed his unwavering support, stating, "My support is absolute, and my loyalty will never waver based on circumstances. Nothing can justify Marine Le Pen being excluded from the French people's choice or prevented from standing before them."
Le Pen was found guilty of orchestrating a system to divert European Union funds to her party. The National Rally was formerly known as the National Front. Le Pen had contended that she was guilty of nothing more than an "error" over a decade.
Prosecutors, however, argued that Le Pen and her late father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the National Front, acted in a "devious manner." Attorney General Stephane Madoz-Blanchet stated that Marine Le Pen was the "instigator" of a scheme that allowed the party to embezzle approximately 1.4 million euros.
The initial trial last year found Le Pen and 24 others guilty. While 12 individuals appealed their verdicts, they were unsuccessful. Le Pen had previously accused the judges and prosecutor of acting with political motives to undermine her presidential ambitions. The trial reportedly led to death threats against the main trial judge, who required police protection.
Prosecutor Thierry Ramonatxo dismissed claims that the judiciary aimed to impede a political leader's rise to the highest executive office, asserting that judges merely apply the law and do not oppose the will of the people.