Hard-right leader Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy in France’s 2027 presidential campaign in typically dramatic fashion on French TV this week.
It came after an appeal court shortened her sentence for misappropriating European Parliament funds that had previously barred her from running. The court reduced the five-year ban on holding office to 45 months with 30 suspended, meaning that the suspension has already been served.
A four-year prison sentence was reduced to two years suspended and one year served outside prison with an electronic bracelet, while imposing a fine of €100,000.
Le Pen also announced that she would initiate another appeal, this time to France’s higher Court of Cassation, and that her sentence would not begin until after this final appeal is heard. Pending this appeal she is free to campaign without the electronic tag.
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If Le Pen’s legal troubles had ruled her out of the presidential race, her party had a backup plan in 30-year-old MEP Jordan Bardella.
This will be her fourth run at the presidency. With France moving to the right, has her time finally come? Or will her legal difficulties ultimately mean that the charismatic Bardella will be the National Rally Party’s candidate?
Paris-based Irish Times Europe Correspondent Naomi O’Leary explains who Le Pen is and how her campaign will unfold in the coming months.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.
