Marine Le Pen Disqualified from French Presidential Race; Far-Right Leaders Criticize Ruling
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Synopsis
On April 1, a Paris court ruled against Marine Le Pen, prohibiting her from running in the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement of EU funds has drawn sharp criticism from far-right leaders who view the decision as politically motivated and an attack on democratic norms.
Key Takeaways
- Marine Le Pen has been barred from the 2027 presidential election.
- Le Pen claims the ruling is a political maneuver against her candidacy.
- Far-right leaders are rallying in support of Le Pen's cause.
- The ruling has drawn comparisons to similar situations in the US political landscape.
- International reactions highlight concerns over democratic integrity.
Paris, April 1 (NationPress) Leaders from the far-right have criticized the ruling of a Paris court regarding Marine Le Pen, the prominent leader of the National Rally, who has been disqualified from participating in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
A Paris court announced on Monday that Le Pen, a three-time presidential contender, will be prevented from competing in the next presidential election due to her conviction for the misuse of European Union funds.
Le Pen, who was seen as the frontrunner for the upcoming election, received a four-year prison sentence, of which two years are suspended, mandating that she serve the remainder under house arrest, alongside a fine of €100,000 (approximately $108,000). Her party, National Rally, was also fined €2 million. The party condemned the trial, asserting it was politically motivated, as reported by various media outlets.
In her initial response to the verdict, Le Pen characterized the ruling as a “political decision” aimed at obstructing her candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.
“This was a political decision made to render my appeal ineffective and to prevent me from standing for election as President of the Republic,” Le Pen stated in a video shared on X.
“The decision has completely violated the rule of law. It denies a viable remedy, justifying provisional execution to defend oneself, and applies the spirit of a law that was enacted after the alleged offenses,” she expressed in a post on X.
She vowed not to be eliminated and will explore all legal avenues, asserting her commitment to the French populace, stating there are millions who place their trust in her.
In the meantime, in response to Le Pen's fraud conviction and her disqualification from political office, US President Donald Trump likened it to his own legal struggles.
“She has been barred from running for five years, and she was the leading candidate. That sounds very much like this country,” Trump remarked, describing the court's decision as “a very big deal.”
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce remarked that the exclusion of individuals from the political sphere is particularly alarming, especially in light of the aggressive and corrupt legal tactics used against President Trump in the US.
Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini condemned the ruling as “a declaration of war by Brussels,” attributing Le Pen's conviction to political motives.
“Those who fear the judgment of the electorate often seek solace in the judgment of the courts. In Paris, they have condemned Marine Le Pen and wish to exclude her from political life. It’s a troubling trend we are witnessing in other nations, including Romania,” stated Salvini, leader of the far-right Lega party.
Donald Trump Jr., the son of the US President, also shared his views on X, questioning, “France is imprisoning Le Pen and barring her from running? Are they trying to prove J.D. Vance was right about everything?”
In a previous speech in Munich in February, Vice President Vance had criticized European democracies for what he described as censorship of free speech.
Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders expressed his astonishment at the ruling against Le Pen, offering his “100 percent” support.
“I am appalled by the harsh verdict against Le Pen. I wholeheartedly support her and believe she will triumph in her appeal and ascend to the presidency in France,” Wilders posted on X.
The Russian government condemned the French court's ruling to prevent far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding office for five years, labeling it a politically motivated assault on democratic norms.
“Increasingly, several European capitals are diverging from democratic norms. We do not wish to interfere in France’s internal matters, and we have not done so,” stated Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to reporters.
“However, our observation of various European capitals reveals that they are not hesitant to overstep democratic boundaries in the political arena,” he added.
