Paris appeals court to rule Tuesday on Le Pen office ban

A Paris appeals court will rule on Tuesday whether Marine Le Pen can stand in next year’s presidential election after a lower court imposed a five-year ban on holding public office. The court will also decide whether the party’s candidate will be Le Pen or another contender. Le Pen, 57, has said she is prepared to run if allowed to campaign freely.

the case A lower court last year found Le Pen and 24 others guilty of using European parliament funds to pay party staff in France between 2004 and 2016. The court sentenced her to four years in prison, two of them suspended, and barred her from office for five years.

Le Pen and 11 others appealed. Prosecutors asked the appeals court to keep the five-year ban and set the prison term at four years with three suspended.

“If I’m allowed to be a candidate, but am effectively prevented from campaigning freely – then you understand, that wouldn’t be possible.”

The court could order any new ban to take effect immediately. Le Pen has been serving the existing ban since 31 March last year.

Party officials say the two leading figures remain united and would campaign together regardless of the ruling. Opponents argue the younger candidate’s limited experience could become an issue if he leads the ticket. Tensions within the party have surfaced over economic policy differences.