In a unexpected twist a French court today handed down a four-year imprisonment – two of which are suspended – plus a five-year ban on holding public office to far-right leader Marine Le Pen. The verdict, announced on Monday, follows her conviction in May of embezzling over €3m (£2.6m) in EU cash to fund party staff, a charge she has consistently denied.
Le Pen, 56, was a favourite to win France’s 2027 presidential elections, and on Tuesday it was a major blow to her political ambitions. Even though she can appeal this, the fact that the court has blocked her from running for public office for a whole decade, is deadly for her party leadership.
Judge Benedicte de Perthuis, handing down the verdict, stated Le pen prime mover of the scam with embezzleement of EU money resulting from ‘usurer delibere’ rather than ‘usurior imprevie”. 
The verdict has sent shockwaves through France’s political elite, with RN party president Jordan Bardella described the conviction as an “execution of the democracy.” Meanwhile, European far-right politicians such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Italy’s Matteo Salvini have condemned the move as a spit in the face of democracy.
With France’s political ground in jeopardy, President Emmanuel Macron and left-centre politicians might detect an opportunity, as the far-right squabble for a different course. The fight isn’t even close to being over, but Le Pen’s ascension may be getting the record against it.
