Marine Le Pen's political future in jeopardy amid EU embezzlement case

The Associated Press reported that French far-right leader Marine Le Pen faces a potential political crisis as a verdict on Monday could derail her presidential aspirations. 

Le Pen, along with 24 others from her National Rally party, is accused of embezzling European Parliament funds intended for parliamentary aides between 2004 and 2016. Prosecutors have requested a two-year prison sentence and five-year ineligibility period.

If found guilty, Le Pen could face an immediate ban on seeking public office, even with an appeal pending. This could also trigger a new trial just months before the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen has expressed concerns that such a verdict could end her political career, describing it as a threat of her “political death.”

While the French Constitutional Council ruled that an immediate ineligibility ban is constitutionally possible, it emphasized that the court must ensure the ruling is proportionate and considers the preservation of voters’ freedom. Le Pen has previously positioned herself as a presidential candidate and gained significant support in the 2022 election, where she secured 41.5% of the vote.

Her potential ineligibility would deprive millions of French voters from having her as a candidate in 2027.

• Marine Le Pen, figurehead of the French far-right National Rally (RN) party, stated that if her political force wins the election, France will not allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike Russia.