Le Pen defends herself against political ban "I'm not going to be eliminated just like that"

Following her conviction for embezzling public funds, France's right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen wants to fight for a speedy appeal process so that she can run in the 2027 presidential election. She is combative, Le Pen told the TF1 channel this evening.

French right-wing populist Marine Le Pen is sticking to her planned presidential candidacy despite being sentenced to four years in prison and banned from running for office. "I will fight, I will not let myself be eliminated just like that," Le Pen told the TF 1 channel on Monday evening. She would do everything she could to "consider a candidacy in the presidential election", she emphasized.

Europe's right is fumingWhy the ruling against Marine Le Pen is a bombshell

Le Pen rejected a candidacy by the 29-year-old party leader Jordan Bardella in her place. "Bardella is a trump card for the party. (...) I hope that we don't play this trump card any sooner than necessary," said the leader of the right-wing populist party Rassemblement National (RN). "I will exhaust all means available. There is a way, even if it is narrow."

As part of the punishment, the court imposed a five-year ban on Le Pen from standing in elections with immediate effect in the affair surrounding the bogus employment of assistants in the EU Parliament.

Le Pen wants to lodge an appeal as soon as possible, but the chances of a higher court ruling in time for the presidential election in spring 2027 are slim.