“This evening, I am a candidate in the presidential election,” she said, ending uncertainty over whether she would run for the top job for the fourth time in elections viewed as her party’s best ever chance to win the presidency.
The Paris appeals court earlier on Tuesday upheld a guilty verdict against the three-time presidential hopeful from the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) over a fake jobs scam at the European Parliament that diverted more than 2.8 million euros in EU funds.
It banned her from office for 15 months and sentenced her to one year under house arrest to be served with an electronic tag, throwing into doubt whether she would be able to campaign unhindered.
But the 57-year-old veteran politician on the evening news said she would appeal that decision with the country’s highest court, which would automatically suspend that decision.
“The appeal to the court of cassation suspends the effects of the judgement, so I will campaign without an electronic ankle bracelet,” she said.
A lower court in March last year had initially sentenced her to a five-year ban from public office, quashing her ambitions to succeed outgoing centrist President Emmanuel Macron in next year’s polls.
Back-dated to March 2025, the new 15-month ban from office expired this year, clearing the way for Le Pen to run in polls set for April and May 2027.
But it was not immediately certain if she would run after she said last week she would withdraw if wearing a tag prevented her from campaigning and pass the torch to her 30-year-old lieutenant Jordan Bardella.
Under France’s house arrest system, a magistrate can approve times at which someone with an ankle tag can leave their home, and pre-approve outings nationwide. (AFP)
