Marine Le Pen banned from entering presidential elections

Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right National Rally, has been sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended, for embezzlement. She is also banned from running for public office for five years and fined £84,000. During her trial, Le Pen was found guilty of misappropriating about £397,000 from European Union funds intended for her party's staff. The presiding judge condemned her actions as a "serious and lasting attack on the rules of democratic life."

Le Pen may appeal the ruling. Following the verdict, she expressed that the judicial decision undermines democracy and represents "political death" for her ambitions to run in the 2027 presidential elections.