French Court Clears Way for Le Pen to Run in 2027 Presidential Race

Marine Le Pen, president of the National Rally (Rassemblement National – RN) party parliamentary group speaks at the Spanish party VOX rally, in Madrid, Spain, on Feb. 8, 2025. Reuters/Ana BeltranPARIS—A French appeals court on July 7 upheld the embezzlement conviction of National Rally figurehead Marine Le Pen while reducing the penalty that had threatened to bar her from next year’s presidential race, leaving open the prospect that she can run in 2027.The Paris Court of Appeal sentenced Le Pen to three years in prison, one of them to be served under an electronic tag, and to 15 months of firm ineligibility. That marks a reduction from the sentence handed down on March 31, 2025, when a criminal court imposed a four-year prison term, a 100,000-euro fine, and a five-year ban from public office with immediate effect.In principle, Le Pen can stand as a candidate in the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen has said that wearing a bracelet would make a campaign impossible, as it would restrict her movements.She also retains 10 days to file an appeal with the Court of Cassation, France’s highest court, which reviews the application of the law rather than the facts.This is breaking story and will be updated.