Le Pen's Legal Battle for 2027 Presidential Candidacy

Marine Le Pen, convicted for embezzling EU funds, is determined to exhaust all legal avenues to run in France's 2027 presidential election. Despite being sentenced to four years in prison and a five-year candidacy ban, she plans to appeal the verdict.

The appeal process is set to conclude by mid-2026, which might allow her to contest if the ban's immediate effect is overturned. Should the appeal fail, Le Pen could escalate the case to France's highest court, potentially delaying her ban until after the election.

Simultaneously, she intends to challenge the ruling's constitutionality, arguing it restricts voter freedom. Additionally, Le Pen is considering taking the matter to the European Court of Human Rights, despite her past criticisms of the institution, claiming the ruling harms voter rights.

Her party, Rassemblement National, aims to delegitimize the verdict through national protests, a move that risks undermining trust in the French judiciary.