2 w. ago Marine Le Pen ruling is fuel for the global right’s attacks on court authority

Rightwing and populist leaders are seizing on conviction to push narrative they are being silenced – but legal experts disagreeThe three-word message, launched minutes after the verdict came in, was succinct in its solidarity. “Je suis Marine!” Hungary’s Viktor Orbán posted on social media after France’s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, was found guilty of embezzling European parliament funds and barred immediately from running for public office.Messages soon came tumbling in from Brazil to Belgium, hinting at how rightwing nationalist and populist leaders had seized on the ruling to push their own narrative. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Marine Le Pen says she ‘will not give in’ after barred from standing for president

Watch the moment Marine Le Pen told supporters she “will not give in” after being banned from running for president of France in 2027. (Sunday 6 April)

Politics

2 w. ago Marine Le Pen is 'guilty as hell' and deserves election ban, journalist Anne

The ban has posed uncomfortable questions about France's democracy, with US President Donald Trump piling on pressure by echoing the slogan 'Le Pen must be freed'.

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump demands France 'Free Marine Le Pen' and brands her presidential election ban a 'witch hunt'

Marine Le Pen, 56, was convicted of creating fake jobs at the EU parliament and taking advantage of expenses to employ assistants actually working for her party.

Politics

3 w. ago Germany could BAN AfD candidates from running for office under proposed new rules

The law would block those with 'multiple convictions of inciting to hatred' from standing in elections, according to a draft agreement between the parties seen by German newspaper Die Welt.

Politics

3 w. ago Could Marine Le Pen’s guilty verdict help fuel the far right? – podcast

The parliamentary leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, has been banned from public office for five years for embezzlement, ruining her chance of a presidential run. Angelique Chrisafis reportsIt is a sentence that has prompted anger among rightwing leaders across the world and led to accusations that democracy is being threatened. This week, Marine Le Pen, the parliamentary leader of the National Rally (RN), the largest opposition party in the French parliament, was banned for five years from public office for embezzlement. Along with more than 20 others, she was found to have used money for European parliament assistants to pay party workers.The shock sentence could end Le Pen’s hopes of running for president in 2027. She is now appealing and has hit back furiously, as have her supporters and allies. Some of her support could hurt her more than it helps, however. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said in response that “more and more European capi...

Politics

3 w. ago What is Marine Le Pen guilty of in National Rally embezzlement case?

The far-right leader has been banned from running for office for five years after an EU parliament fake jobs scamAfter a nine-week trial, the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was this week found guilty of the embezzlement of European parliamentary funds through a fake jobs scam of an unprecedented scale and duration. She was banned from running for office for five years with immediate effect, which could prevent her making a fourth bid for the French presidency in 2027.She has said she will appeal against the verdict and sentence, which also included a four-year prison term – with two years suspended and two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet – and €100,000 (£84,000) fine. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago French ministers condemn threats to judges in Marine Le Pen case

Senior figures also reject claim verdict against Le Pen on embezzlement charges was ‘political and partisan’French ministers have condemned threats against the judges who convicted the far-right leader Marine Le Pen and banned her from public office for five years – threatening her 2027 presidential run – and rejected accusations the verdict was “political and partisan”.France’s prime minister, François Bayrou, told the Assemblée nationale the trial judges had his “unconditional support” after they found Le Pen guilty of embezzlement charges, throwing France into political chaos. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump compares himself to Marine Le Pen as he tears into France for barring her from politics: 'This is a big deal'

President Donald Trump compared himself to convicted French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, calling her ban from elective office a 'very big deal.'

Politics

3 w. ago French far right calls for nationwide protests against Marine Le Pen ban

National Rally president says French electorate ‘must be outraged’ at judgment that would ‘rob’ them of a voice Europe live – latest updatesFrance’s far-right National Rally (RN) party is calling for nationwide demonstrations against a court decision to ban Marine Le Pen from public office for five years, seemingly wrecking her hopes of becoming president in 2027.Jordan Bardella, the RN president, said French people “must be outraged” after what he called a “disproportionate, political and partisan” judgment that would rob them of a voice in the election. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen vows to fight election ban in attack on court’s ‘politician decision’ over embezzlement conviction

Marine Le Pen says she will appeal against verdict and her five-year disqualification from public office ahead of presidential elections

Politics

3 w. ago Watch: Marine Le Pen slams guilty verdict as ‘political decision’ after election ban

Marine Le Pen claimed that a court's decision was "political" following its ruling on Monday, 31 March, which banned her from standing for election after she was found guilty of embezzling funds from the European parliament.

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen vows to fight election ban in scathing attack on court’s ‘politician decision’ after embezzlement conviction

Marine Le Pen says she will appeal against verdict and her five-year disqualification from public office ahead of presidential elections

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen attacks ban on French presidency run as a ‘political decision’

Far-right leader, who was found guilty of embezzlement of European funds, says conviction is a ‘denial of democracy’The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has railed against a Paris court’s “political decision” to bar her from competing for the presidency in 2027, attacking the move to ban her from running for public office as “a denial of democracy”.In a day of high political drama, Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement of European parliament funds on a vast scale, a conviction for which she was also handed a four-year prison sentence, with two of those years suspended and two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet. She was also ordered to pay a €100,000 (£84,000) fine. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen's party calls on supporters to take to the streets amid fury over her presidential election ban and jail sentence

The leader of France's far-right party called Monday for a peaceful 'mobilisation', after Marine Le Pen was banned from running for office following an embezzlement conviction.

Politics

3 w. ago Watch: Le Pen leaves court after being found guilty of embezzling EU funds

Marine Le Pen stormed out of court after she was banned from running in France’s 2027 presidential election, after being found guilty of embezzling funds from the European Parliament.

Events

3 w. ago Fury as court bans Marine Le Pen from presidential run and hits her with four

Le Pen, 56, was handed a five-year ban from holding public office after being convicted of embezzlement by a court in France today.

Events

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen found guilty of embezzling funds. This is what you need to know

Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzlement. Here’s all you need to know

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen banned from running for French president after embezzling EU funds

Le Pen handed jail sentence and immediate five-year ban from political office, excluding her from running in the French presidential elections in 2027

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen banned from standing for office for five years

Far-right leader also sentenced to jail in ruling that jeopardises her ambitions to run for French presidency in 2027

Events