3 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

3 w. ago Le Pen vows to fight ‘political’ ruling, as France’s main parties stage rival rallies

Far-right leader tells supporters she is victim of ‘witch hunt’, while radical left says RN’s mask has slipped• What is Marine Le Pen guilty of in National Rally embezzlement case?French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has told supporters in Paris she would fight “a political, not a judicial ruling” that could bar her from the next presidential election, as a rival rally denounced an “existential threat” to the rule of law after her conviction for embezzling public funds.“This decision has trampled on everything I hold most dear: my people, my country and my honour,” the figurehead of the far-right National Rally (RN) told a crowd of flag-waving supporters as the country’s three main political movements staged events in the Paris. Continue reading...

Politics

3 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

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 justice minister urges prompt appeal hearing for Le Pen – Europe live

Gérald Darmanin stresses court timelines are outside government control as PM admits he has questions over immediate public office bansLe Pen ban is ‘political and partisan’, says French far-right party’s presidentIn Kyiv, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has offered an update on the talks with the United States over a new minerals deal.Sybiha told a press conference held with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, that one round of consultations had already taken place and that an agreement providing for a strong American business presence in Ukraine would contribute to his country’s security infrastructure, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘We will not let French people have election stolen from them,’ says Le Pen – Europe live

Far-right leader says guilty verdict was ‘a nuclear bomb’ used against her as her party president calls for protestsLe Pen ban is ‘political and partisan’, says French far-right party’s presidentIn Kyiv, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has offered an update on the talks with the United States over a new minerals deal.Sybiha told a press conference held with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, that one round of consultations had already taken place and that an agreement providing for a strong American business presence in Ukraine would contribute to his country’s security infrastructure, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump and Musk back Le Pen as NR’s Bardella says verdict should ‘outrage’ France – Europe live

US president calls embezzlement sentence ‘a very big deal’ as her party’s president says there will be protests this weekendBy the way, given how heavy the news cycle tends to be these days, we need to grasp every opportunity to look for something positive, so let’s celebrate the April Fools’ Day today.Send me your best April Fools’ Day stories from across Europe for a post later this afternoon – I’m on jakub.krupa@theguardian.com. Continue reading...

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 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 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 Who is Marine Le Pen? Convicted politician unable to stand at next presidential election

French National Rally parliamentary leader receives a four-year prison sentence for embezzling EU funds

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen is in 'fighting mood' and will appeal her four

France's hard-right leader will appeal her conviction for embezzlement of public funds, her lawyer said Monday, after a court handed her a five-year ban on running for office.

Politics

3 w. ago Why has Marine Le Pen been barred from standing in French election – and can she appeal?

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

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4 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

4 w. ago Marine Le Pen verdict throws National Rally into chaos but could boost far right | Angelique Chrisafis

Conviction is a huge blow to her party and harms her drive for respectability, while serving the victimisation narrativeEurope live – latest updatesIt is a political earthquake that is almost certain to end Marine Le Pen’s ambitions for the 2027 presidential election and throws her far-right party into chaos just as it was setting its sights on taking power in France.Barred from running for political office for five years with immediate effect after being convicted of embezzling European funds for her party, Le Pen’s political future is now thrown into doubt. She will probably not be able to mount a fourth campaign for the presidency in two years’ time. Continue reading...

Events

4 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

4 w. ago Marine Le Pen banned from running for French presidency in 2027 and given four

French far right leader barred from running for public office for five years with immediate effect after guilty verdict in trialFull story: Le Pen barred from running for French presidency in 2027The judges have begun reading their verdicts.Patrick Maisonneuve, lawyer for the European parliament, arriving in court, said that what was at stake was the embezzlement of European taxpayers’ funds. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Marine Le Pen is sentenced to four years in JAIL and BANNED from entering presidential elections as she is found guilty of embezzlement and accused of 'undermining democracy'

Presiding Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis has sentenced Le Pen, 56, to a five-year ban from politics. She has also been sentenced to four years in prison with two under an electronic bracelet and a £84k fine.

Politics

4 w. ago Marine Le Pen jailed for four years and banned from running for French president after embezzling EU funds

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

Events