Marine Le Pen convicted of misappropriation of European Parliament funds but remains candidate
French courts have confirmed on Tuesday the conviction of Marine Le Pen for misappropriation of public funds from the European Parliament, while lifting her immediate ineligibility, allowing her to run in the presidential election.
Marine Le Pen convicted of misappropriation of European Parliament funds but remains candidate
The court confirmed on Tuesday the conviction of Marine Le Pen for misappropriation of funds from the European Parliament. However, her immediate ineligibility has been lifted.
"I previously said that I would not campaign if I had to wear an electronic bracelet. However, as there is the possibility to appeal to the Court of Cassation and annul the previous decisions, I will conduct the campaign without an electronic bracelet. Tonight, I am a candidate in the presidential election," declared Marine Le Pen, the historical leader of the National Rally, to television channel TF1, according to 24sata.hr.
These statements come after the courts confirmed her conviction for misappropriation of funds from the European Parliament. Nevertheless, the tribunal removed her immediate five-year ineligibility and replaced it with a shorter measure. A one-year house arrest has also been imposed.
It is precisely for this reason that Le Pen had previously insisted that she would not run if she had to wear a bracelet monitoring her movements. She had emphasised that a presidential candidate must have freedom of movement. Thanks to future appeals, Le Pen has the possibility to conduct her campaign without monitoring of her movements.
Her party, the National Rally, has significantly strengthened in recent years and, according to polls, has one of the best chances of winning the Élysée in next year's election. If Le Pen were eventually to withdraw from the race due to this judicial decision, her 30-year-old political successor, Jordan Bardella, is cited as a potential replacement.
When asked about her willingness to apologise to the French after her conviction for misappropriation of public funds, Le Pen rejected the accusations.
"I consider that we are innocent of the acts that are being attributed to us and that these acts cannot be qualified as misappropriation of public funds," she affirmed.
Source: 24sata