The recent conviction of Marine Le Pen has thrown France into political turmoil and raised questions about judicial independence. The rightist leader faces a five-year ban from public office and a four-year prison sentence.
As France grapples with this landmark ruling, the National Rally party mobilises in her defence.
Judicial Decision Creates Political Shockwaves Across France
Marine Le Pen, president of the National Rally group in the French Parliament, received her sentence on Monday for embezzling European Parliament funds.
The court imposed an immediate five-year ban on holding public office. The controversial ruling has effectively barred Le Pen from the 2027 presidential race.
The Paris Court of Appeals has announced a schedule that offers Le Pen a glimmer of hope. The court expects to deliver its decision by summer 2026, potentially allowing Le Pen to still run for president in 2027 if cleared.
This calendar has become a decisive factor in French political calculations.
Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old president of the National Rally, called for nationwide demonstrations against the court decision.
Bardella described the ruling as "disproportionate, political and partisan" while pledging total loyalty to Le Pen. Their partnership has weathered this storm intact.
Echoes of Other European Misconduct Cases
Le Pen’s case is not unique within European politics. Misuse of European Parliament funds occurs with concerning frequency.
Each Member of the European Parliament receives a monthly sum of €30,769 for assistants.
The boundaries between legitimate parliamentary work and unrelated political activities often blur. MEPs frequently employ local politicians who perform duties unrelated to European Parliament business.
Such misuse has led to multiple embezzlement cases across the political spectrum.
The Huawei corruption scandal offers an intriguing parallel to Le Pen’s situation.
Belgian authorities recently arrested several people following a probe into alleged bribery within the European Parliament.
Accusations of Lawfare Heat Up French Politics
The term “lawfare” has gained currency in France following Le Pen’s conviction. Le Pen accused the judiciary of deploying a “nuclear bomb” to destroy her presidential ambitions.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou offered “unconditional support” to the judiciary while expressing personal questions about Le Pen’s ban.
Bayrou suggested that if politicians disliked the law allowing judges to impose such bans, they should change it.
The aftermath of the verdict has turned ugly. Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis has received death threats on social media. Legal bodies condemned posts revealing judges’ personal information.
Le Pen herself denounced such threats despite her criticism of the ruling.
Trump’s Global Base
Donald Trump quickly drew parallels between Le Pen’s legal troubles and his own experiences.
The American president told reporters, "She was banned for running for five years, and she's the leading candidate. That sounds very much like this country."
Elon Musk, a key Trump adviser, slammed the verdict against Le Pen in strong terms.
Musk claimed, "When the radical left can’t win via democratic vote, they abuse the legal system to jail their opponents." This rhetoric positions Le Pen's case within a broader international context of alleged judicial overreach.
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, himself barred from office until 2030, called Le Pen's ruling "pure lawfare." He added that "this movement is spreading around the world" and claimed the left uses judicial activism to maintain power.
Is Le Pen Following the Trump Playbook?
Marine Le Pen’s response to her legal troubles bears striking similarities to Donald Trump’s strategy.
Both portray themselves as victims of politically motivated prosecutions. This narrative resonates with their bases and turns legal setbacks into political rallying points.
The National Rally’s planned demonstrations echo Trump’s ability to mobilize supporters against perceived establishment attacks.
Bardella said these would be "democratic, peaceful, calm mobilisations."
Unlike Trump, Le Pen has pledged to pursue legal means to reopen her route to the 2027 election. Le Pen stressed her commitment to playing by the rules of France’s Fifth Republic.
Will Legal Troubles Unite the French Right?
The immediate aftermath of Le Pen’s conviction suggests a unifying effect on the French right.
Eric Ciotti, an RN-allied lawmaker, announced plans to change the law that allows judges to impose political bans.
Jordan Bardella's unwavering loyalty is a show of party unity in crisis. He stated, "Marine Le Pen has given me everything in politics. The least I can do is to fight with her to the end."
Public opinion remains divided on the ruling.
An Elabe poll found that nearly 60% of respondents considered the ruling fair, while 42% viewed it as politically biased. The split reflects France's broader political polarisation but suggests Le Pen's narrative hasn't yet convinced the majority of France's population.
Marine Le Pen’s legal troubles will indeed bolster her party’s cohesion in the short term. The persecution narrative provides a powerful rallying cry for the French right.
However, unlike Trump, who secured the presidency despite his legal challenges, Le Pen encounters a more immediate practical obstacle in her ban from office.
The Court of Appeals schedule creates a nail-biting scenario where Le Pen’s political fate hangs in balance just months before the 2027 election.
The ambiguity may either galvanise her supporters or eventually force the party to rally behind Bardella as their standard-bearer.
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