Marine Le Pen has slammed the possibility of being declared ineligible to run in France’s 2027 presidential election.
“If I’m banned from standing, it will be profoundly undemocratic,” the Rassemblement National (RN) leader declared on March 13, warning that such a ruling would strip the French people of their right to choose their future President.
In two weeks, a Paris judge will rule on Le Pen’s eligibility to run in France’s 2027 presidential election: a decision that could change the French political landscape two years ahead of the presidential race.
At the heart of the case is the long-running investigation into the alleged misuse of EU funds for RN parliamentary assistants.
Prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence for Le Pen, including two years of jail time and five years of ineligibility with “provisional execution.”
An ineligibility sentence with provisional execution would be applied immediately despite any appeal that the defendant may file.
An ineligibility verdict is mandatory in the event of conviction for embezzlement of public funds.
However, the request from the prosecutors for ‘immediate effect’ is unusual.
This would prevent Marine Le Pen from standing for election, either in the legislative elections in the event of a dissolution of the French parliament or in the presidential election of 2027.
France’s Constitutional Council will have to decide on the constitutionality of such a request.
Mayotte politician Rachadi Saindou has contested a ruling on his ineligibility with ‘provisional execution’ before the Constitutional Council via a complaint filed in the Council of State. The Council ruling, which is expected over the next couple of weeks, could affect Marine Le Pen’s verdict.
If the Constitutional Council rules in favour of Saindou’s challenge, this could push the Parisian judge to drop the prosecutor’s request for immediate ineligibility against Le Pen.
The Constitutional Council has until April 3 to give its opinion. But it could do so before 31 March, the day of Marine Le Pen’s verdict.
Despite the legal threat, Marine Le Pen remains a dominant force in the upcoming election. Although the presidential race is still two years away, polling from December 2024 placed her at the top, with a strong chance of reaching the second round.
With the judgment looming, the French veteran insists she is “extremely calm” about the court’s decision.
“I’m a fighter,” she said, “and I’ve learned since childhood that the legal battle waged against you is an integral part of the political battle.”
Le Pen also referenced Romania’s recent presidential controversy, where nationalist politician Călin Georgescu was blocked from running by authorities.
“I am extremely concerned about what is happening in Romania,” she said.
“Both there [in Romania] and in France, there are people who believe that if the ballot box doesn’t deliver the ‘right’ result, they must find a way to manipulate the system until it does.”
https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/03/le-pen-warns-of-undemocratic-verdict-if-banned-from-2027-race