Marine Le Pen officially announced her bid for the French presidency in 2027, launching her campaign immediately after a Paris appeal court upheld her conviction for misusing €2.8 million in EU funds. The court sentenced her to three years in prison, with two suspended, and one year under house arrest with an electronic tag, along with a €100,000 fine and a 45-month ban from public office, though the ban effectively ended as she had already served the ineligibility period. Le Pen stated she would appeal this decision to France's highest court, the Court of Cassation, which she believes will suspend the electronic tag requirement until their verdict, likely in early 2027.
Le Pen's decision to run puts an end to speculation that she might pass the candidacy to her party's president, Jordan Bardella. She previously indicated she would not run if required to wear an electronic tag, but her appeal to the Court of Cassation means the order to wear the tag is suspended. This legal uncertainty is likely to loom over her campaign. Political opponents like former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal criticized her decision, citing the "moral dimension" of running with a criminal record, while others highlighted the potential for embarrassment if she has to wear a tag during the critical campaign period.
Amidst her legal challenges, Le Pen has outlined a political strategy that involves working with Jordan Bardella, who she envisions as her Prime Minister if she wins the presidency. She positioned their partnership as a "solid," "complementary," and "coherent" duo for France. Her announcement comes less than 10 months before the first round of the French presidential elections on April 18, 2027, with the second round on May 2, 2027. Her conviction stems from a scheme where EU funds meant for parliamentary assistants were used to pay party staff between 2004 and 2016.
