Court leaves opening for Le Pen to seek French presidency

Marine Le Pen arrives to hear the ruling in an appeal against her conviction for diverting European Parliament funds, at the courthouse on the Ile de la Cite, in Paris on July 7, 2026. (Photo: Reuters)

PARIS - A French appeal court on Tuesday upheld Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing EU funds but shortened her ban on running for public office, in theory preserving a path for the far-right leader to run in the 2027 presidential election.

However, the court also sentenced Le Pen to a three-year jail term: two suspended and one with an electronic ankle tag. This could make a presidential campaign ​politically and logistically difficult.