Marine Le Pen Launches 2027 Presidential Campaign After Conviction Appeal Keeps Race Alive
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has officially announced she will contest France's 2027 presidential election after appealing her embezzlement conviction to the country's highest court, keeping alive her long-held ambition to become president.
Speaking during a combative primetime television interview on Tuesday evening, Le Pen declared that her presidential campaign had begun immediately after a Paris appeals court ruled she could remain eligible to run despite upholding her conviction.
"The campaign begins tonight," Le Pen said during the nationally televised interview.
The leader of the National Rally (RN) also pledged to continue fighting the case, saying she would "pursue all legal avenues" to prove her innocence by taking the case to France's highest judicial authority, the Court of Cassation.
Electronic Tag Order Suspended
Le Pen's appeal automatically suspends an order requiring her to wear an electronic monitoring tag for one year until the Court of Cassation issues its final ruling, which is expected in early 2027.
Earlier Tuesday, the Paris Court of Appeal found Le Pen guilty of misusing approximately €2.8 million ($3.3 million) in European Union parliamentary funds through a fake jobs scheme. Prosecutors argued that EU money intended for parliamentary assistants was improperly used to finance party activities.
Although the conviction was upheld, judges ruled that Le Pen can remain a candidate in the 2027 presidential election while the final appeal process continues.
Political Gamble Ends Succession Speculation
Le Pen's announcement ends months of speculation that she might withdraw from the presidential race and instead support Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old president of the National Rally, as the party's candidate.
Bardella has emerged as one of France's most popular younger political figures and was widely viewed as Le Pen's potential successor if legal hurdles prevented her from running.
However, Tuesday's announcement confirms that Le Pen intends to personally lead the National Rally into another presidential contest.
Bardella did not immediately comment on Le Pen's announcement, although both politicians are scheduled to appear together at a public market in France's Sarthe region on Wednesday, signaling continued unity within the party.