French appeals court to rule on far-right leader's electoral ban

A Paris appeals court is scheduled to rule on Tuesday on whether a five-year ban on holding elected office will remain in place for the leader of France's largest far-right party. The ruling will determine whether that leader or her designated successor can run in the April 2027 presidential election to succeed the outgoing president.

Background of the case A lower court in March last year convicted the leader of embezzling European parliament funds and imposed the ban along with a four-year prison sentence, two years of which were suspended. The court found that the party and 24 former members of the European Parliament, assistants and accountants had used European parliament funds to pay staff working in France between 2004 and 2016.

Appeal proceedings The leader and 11 others appealed the verdict, denying any system to divert the funds and stating the party had acted in complete good faith. Prosecutors argued the leader professionalised a practice of diverting EU funds and are seeking to maintain the five-year ban while adjusting the suspended portion of the prison sentence.

“If I can run, I will – as long as I can campaign.”