French Court Allows Marine Le Pen to Run for President While Wearing Electronic Tag

A Paris appeal court ruled that Marine Le Pen can stand in the 2027 French presidential election even while wearing an electronic tag for one year. The same ruling found the National Rally leader guilty of misusing €2.8 million in European Union funds through a fake jobs scheme.

The court issued its verdict hours before Le Pen appeared on French television to confirm her candidacy. It rejected a request to bar her from running while she serves the tag sentence.

Pen told French TV she will appeal the conviction and pursue all legal avenues to defend her innocence. "I can't campaign with a tag," she said. "I want to pursue all legal avenues to defend my innocence in this case." The National Rally leader added that the tag requirement would prevent normal campaigning.

The appeal court upheld the finding of misuse but adjusted the sentence to allow her candidacy. Le Pen has maintained that the positions were legitimate and that she is innocent of wrongdoing.