Marine Le Pen’s political future at stake with ruling on electoral ban imminent

The ruling will determine whether the far-right National Rally’s presidential candidate will be Le Pen or her youthful protege, Jordan Bardella. Photograph: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

Marine Le Pen, France’s far-right figurehead and a leading contender for its presidency, will learn on Tuesday whether she can run in next year’s election when a Paris appeals court rules on her attempt to overturn a ban on holding elected office.

The ruling will determine whether the far-right National Rally (RN) candidate to succeed the outgoing president, Emmanuel Macron, will be the veteran Le Pen, 57, or her youthful protege, Jordan Bardella, 30.