Le Pen to Run for France President After Court Ruling
Marine Le Pen leads France's National Rally party. She announced she will run for president in 2027.
An appeals court confirmed she was guilty of stealing EU funds. The stolen amount was €2.8 million.
The court also reduced her prison term to three years. Two of those years are suspended.
She must serve one year at home with an ankle tag. The court also shortened her ban from holding office.
The shortened ban means she has already served the required time. This cleared her path to run in the April 2027 election.
Le Pen said she will appeal her conviction to France's highest court. Four other National Rally politicians were also convicted the same day. Socialist Boris Vallaud publicly criticized her decision to run despite the guilty verdict.
Klear Note — France's presidential election happens every five years. The National Rally is France's main right-wing party. EU funds are money shared among European Union member countries.
Key Terms 5
- National Rally Marine Le Pen's French political party, considered far-right
- appeals court A higher court that reviews decisions made by lower courts
- embezzlement Stealing money that was trusted to you to manage
- suspended sentence Prison time that does not have to be served unless rules are broken
- ankle tag Electronic device worn on ankle to track a person's location