Paris, France. A French appeals court on Tuesday upheld Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing EU funds while shortening her ban on running for elected office, a decision that could reopen a path for her to run in the 2027 presidential race. The court also ordered a three-year jail term, with two years suspended and one year to be served under electronic monitoring.
Appeals court ruling
The court ruled that Le Pen must serve a three-year jail term. Two years were suspended, while she was ordered to wear an electronic ankle tag for one year.
Le Pen was also fined €2,000,000.
According to Reuters, the ruling casts fresh doubt on whether she will seek France’s highest office next year.
Court’s assessment
Paris Court of Appeal President Michèle Agi, reading out the verdict, described the facts in the case as “serious” and said they involved more than €2 million, according to France 24.
Background to the case
Le Pen had appealed a March 2025 ruling by the Paris Correctional Court, which found she had been at the heart of a scheme to misappropriate more than €4 million in European parliamentary funds to pay her party’s own employees.
The ruling said this was in breach of EU rules requiring such funds to be used only for staff working in Brussels.
Eight other former MEPs and 12 parliamentary assistants were convicted alongside her in the original case, which had included a five-year ban on Le Pen holding public office.
