A French appeals court on Tuesday upheld Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing €2.8 million ($3.2 million) in European Union funds, but reduced the practical impact of her ban from seeking public office, leaving open the possibility of a 2027 presidential bid.
The court sentenced Le Pen to three years in prison, with two years suspended and the remaining year to be served under home confinement with an electronic ankle monitor. She was also fined €100,000 ($114,000).
The appeals court shortened the effective period of her ban from running for office to 15 months by suspending 30 months of a 45-month disqualification. As a result, Le Pen would remain eligible to run in France’s 2027 presidential election, although campaigning while subject to electronic monitoring could present logistical and political challenges.
The case stems from a 2025 ruling that found Le Pen and several members of her National Rally party guilty of diverting European Parliament funds intended for parliamentary assistants to pay party staff in France. Four other former National Rally members of the European Parliament were also convicted in Tuesday’s ruling, while additional defendants were found guilty of related offenses.
The original ruling drew support for Le Pen from several prominent figures, including Viktor Orbán, who posted “Je suis Marine.” Elon Musk and the Kremlin also defended her, while President Trump described the case as a “witch hunt.”
