French hard-right leader Marine Le Pen has launched her bid for the 2027 presidential election, sparking widespread reaction in France and beyond. In a combative primetime interview on French TV, Le Pen stated she would 'pursue all legal avenues' to defend her innocence and appeal to the Court of Cassation, France's top civil court. The appeal comes after a Paris appeal court found her guilty of misusing €2.8m in EU funds in a fake jobs scheme, but ruled she could stand for the presidency while wearing an electronic tag for a year.
Le Pen's decision to run for president despite her guilty verdict has been met with criticism from her opponents. 'Her candidacy, despite her conviction, is yet another reversal that damages the French people's trust in politics,' said Othman Nasrou, secretary-general of the right-wing Republicans. Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal noted there was a 'moral dimension to the decision to run despite one's criminal record and a sentence for embezzlement of public funds'.
The French presidential elections are set to take place in April and May 2027, with Le Pen facing off against several other notable candidates. Her campaign is expected to be highly contested, with many questioning whether her conviction will damage her chances of winning.
Le Pen's decision to run for president has also raised questions about her potential leadership style. She stated that she and her party colleague, Jordan Bardella, would work together - she as president and he as prime minister - if elected. The pair are due to appear together at a market in the Sarthe region of north-west France on Wednesday.
The case against Le Pen centres on her alleged role in a scam that involved embezzling funds meant for members of the European Parliament and using the money to pay for party staff. She and several other party colleagues have now been found guilty twice of the scam, but Le Pen continues to maintain her innocence.