French appeal court judges said they will deliver their ruling on 7 July in the corruption case against Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) – a decision that could determine whether she can run in the 2027 presidential election.
Their verdict will shape the political future of Le Pen, who has said she will give up her ambition to become France’s first female president if she loses her appeal.
In March 2025, the three-time presidential candidate was found guilty of misusing EU funds through a fake-jobs scam.
During the trial in 2024, Le Pen, the RN and 23 party figures were accused of diverting European Parliament money to pay staff between 2004 and 2016, when the party was known as the National Front (FN).
The total amount embezzled was €4.4 million, of which €1.1 million has been reimbursed.
Le Pen was sentenced to four years in prison, with two to be served under electronic tagging, and barred from political activity for five years, enforceable immediately.
During the appeal hearings, Le Pen’s lawyers called for her acquittal, saying the court’s decision could determine whether she can run in the 2027 presidential election.
“Here we are on the eve of an election that is of the utmost importance for the country,” said defence lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut. “But this presidential election makes the judgment that you will have to hand down dizzying.”
Prosecutors said they want the original sentence upheld, including a €100,000 fine.
“The earlier the decision was handed down, the better off I was,” Le Pen told journalists at the end of the hearing in Paris on Wednesday. “We’ll deal with the date. I understand that the judges are taking their time. It’s an appeal court and there’s no room for error.”
French court rejects Le Pen's challenge to electoral rules
Political reactions
RN president Jordan Bardella is likely to be chosen as the party’s presidential candidate if Le Pen cannot run for a fourth time.
After her sentence last year, he appeared on French television and radio to criticise what he called a democratic scandal.
“Everything will be done to prevent us from coming to power,” he told CNews-Europe 1.
In the same interview, Bardella criticised the judges while condemning threats and insults directed at them after the ruling.
One of France’s top judges told broadcaster RTL that complaints about judges could lead to legal action.
“Justice is not political,” said Rémy Heitz, public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation.
“This is not a political decision but a judicial one, handed down by three independent, impartial judges... in accordance with the law, in application of texts voted for by lawmakers. The highly personalised attacks on judges are inadmissible. The threats may be the subject of criminal proceedings.”
