French appeals court upholds Le Pen conviction, eases 2027 ban
What's new: The ruling cut her public-office ban to two years, potentially reopening a 2027 presidential run.
A Paris appeals court upheld Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing European Parliament funds but reduced the penalty that had blocked her from seeking office, a decision that could keep her in play for France’s 2027 presidential election. The court sentenced Le Pen to three years in prison, with two years suspended, and ordered one year under electronic monitoring. In March 2025, she had received a five-year ban from public office and a four-year prison term after being convicted of embezzling more than 4 million euros. The case centers on a scheme that used EU money meant for parliamentary assistants to pay National Rally staff.