Paris appeals court to rule on far-right leader's 2027 election bid
Marine Le Pen’s fate as France’s far-right presidential candidate hangs in the balance after a Paris appeals court announced it will rule on Tuesday whether she can stand in the 2027 election, a verdict that could reshape the race for the Élysée Palace. The decision, expected to be delivered on 7 July, follows a March 2025 ruling that found Le Pen at the centre of a “fraudulent system” that diverted €2.9 million in European Parliament funds to her party, the National Rally (RN). A five-year ban from public office and a two-year suspended sentence were handed down, potentially disqualifying her from running.
Le Pen, who reached the second round of the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections but lost to Emmanuel Macron both times, has framed the appeal as her last chance to contest what many analysts consider her strongest opportunity yet to win the presidency. Speaking in Liévin, northern France, on Saturday, she vowed to support her protégé Jordan Bardella “every day” with “great energy” and “great conviction” if the court bars her from running. “We will never be discouraged,” she declared. Bardella, the RN president, echoed her defiance, telling activists at the same event that he hoped to “see her elected president of the Republic in a few months’ time.”
The RN’s unity message came as the party sought to quash rumours of internal divisions. Despite the legal cloud over Le Pen, the duo used the gathering to attack rivals, labelling left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s policies as “racialist” and dismissing former prime ministers Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe as “mini-Macrons.” The event drew fewer than the 1,200 activists expected, with empty seats visible, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the party ahead of the verdict.
Across Europe, the stakes of Le Pen’s potential disqualification are being closely watched. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) celebrated its strongest polling position in years, with 29% support in a recent INSA survey, ahead of the centre-right CDU/CSU at 21%. At its party congress in Erfurt on Saturday, AfD leaders reaffirmed their ambition to govern, with co-chair Alice Weidel declaring the party “the strongest force” and vowing to “turn Germany upside down.” Tens of thousands protested outside the congress, reflecting deep public unease over the party’s rise.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has proposed sweeping constitutional reforms, including a 12-year limit on parliamentary mandates and an age cap of 70 for constitutional judges, moves analysts say target President Tamás Sulyok, a Viktor Orbán ally. Meanwhile, in Romania, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats marked its 50th anniversary in Vienna, debating how to counter the far-right surge across the continent.
Back in France, the legal drama surrounding Le Pen has intensified scrutiny of the justice system’s role in elections. “I have the deepest contempt for French justice,” Le Pen said in a recent interview, framing the case as politically motivated. Legal experts note that if the appeals court upholds the ban, Le Pen could still run if the sentence is reduced to less than two years, a possibility she has publicly embraced. Polls currently place her as the frontrunner for the first round of the 2027 election, with Macron constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
The court’s decision, expected on Tuesday, will determine whether France’s political landscape enters a period of unprecedented uncertainty—or whether Le Pen’s long-awaited bid for the presidency can finally begin.
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