Marine Le Pen convicted of embezzlement of European funds and candidate for 2027 presidential election
The leader of the French far right announced her candidacy despite confirmation of her sentence by the appeals court.
Marine Le Pen convicted of embezzlement of European funds and candidate for 2027 presidential election
The appeals court confirmed on Tuesday the conviction of Marine Le Pen for embezzlement of European funds, while reducing the duration of her deprivation of civil rights. This decision leaves open the possibility for the leader of the National Rally to run in the 2027 presidential election.
In her first public statements since the verdict, she announced to the television network TF1 that she would seek for the fourth time the position of head of the French state. The period of ineligibility imposed by the judges ends before the presidential ballot, which theoretically allows her to be a candidate.
The case concerns the alleged embezzlement of money from the European Parliament, funds that allegedly were used to pay fictitious parliamentary assistants within her party. The court had initially pronounced a heavier sentence, including deprivation of civil rights for several years.
The appeals court judges maintained the guilt of the former presidential candidate, but lightened the sanction by reducing the time during which she will neither be able to vote nor be elected. This reduction opens the way to participation in the upcoming elections.
Source: Philenews
Source: Philenews