Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader in France, has declared her determination to continue fighting after being convicted of embezzlement and subsequently barred from participating in elections, labeling her conviction as a “political decision.”
This shocking ruling, which threatens to shatter Le Pen’s aspirations for the French presidency in 2027, has left the political community in France reeling.
“I will not back down,” Le Pen told a gathering of her National Rally party and supporters, who filled the Place Vauban with the iconic golden dome of the Hôtel National des Invalides visible in the background.
She condemned what she perceives as a “witch hunt” against her party as her supporters waved French flags and chanted “Marine! Marine!”
Marine Le Pen delivers a speech to the crowd gathered in her support
Mr. Bardella, 29, emphasized that the party does not aim to “discredit all judges,” but asserted that Le Pen’s conviction represents “a direct assault on democracy and a blow to millions of patriotic French citizens.”
The far-right is attempting to demonstrate solidarity following Le Pen’s conviction on Monday for embezzling European Parliament funds, resulting in a partially suspended prison sentence and an immediate disqualification from holding public office.
Her supporters deemed the ruling as politically driven, while President Emmanuel Macron maintained that the French judiciary operates “independently.” The judges involved in Le Pen’s conviction have reportedly faced threats.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump characterized the sentence as a “witch hunt” orchestrated by “European leftists using lawfare to suppress free speech and silence their political opponents.”
‘Dangerous party’
Counter-protests have been organized by some left-wing factions and centrist groups against the far-right.
At a gathering of Mr. Macron’s Renaissance party in the northern working-class suburb of Saint-Denis, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal accused the far-right of “attacking our judges and institutions.”
“If you steal, you must face the consequences,” Mr. Attal stated in his speech later that day.
He further criticized “unprecedented interference” in France’s political landscape, highlighting support for Le Pen from figures like Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Supporters wave French flags at the rally for Marine Le Pen
The Saint-Denis meeting also saw attendance from Prime Minister François Bayrou and former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who is also eyeing a run for the presidency in 2027.
Some left-wing activists, including members of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, held a counter-rally at the Place de la République, drawing around 3,000 attendees according to police estimates.
LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard claimed the far-right has revealed its true nature after years of attempts to be accepted in mainstream politics.
“The far-right is a dangerous movement, posing a threat to democracy and the rule of law,” he asserted.
The far-right is gaining momentum in France. Polling suggests that if Le Pen, 56, entered the race, she would lead in the first round of a two-stage presidential election.
Le Pen encourages supporters to ‘follow Martin Luther King’
Before the rally, Le Pen called on her followers to take a cue from the iconic American advocate of nonviolence in the struggle for civil rights for Black Americans.
“We will emulate Martin Luther King, who championed civil rights,” she conveyed to members of Italy’s hard-right League party during a video link from Florence.
Court sketch depicting Marine Le Pen during the verdict and sentencing of her embezzlement trial
“Today, it is the civil rights of the French people that are at stake,” she added.
Le Pen has also drawn parallels between herself and Alexei Navalny, the late Russian opposition leader who perished in an Arctic prison in 2024 after being imprisoned under President Vladimir Putin.
She has worked diligently to transform her party into a viable political entity and distance it from the controversial legacy of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, its co-founder, who passed away in January and faced numerous allegations of racism.
The latest Elabe poll for BFMTV, released on Saturday, placed her at around 36% support among voters.
However, analysts caution that Le Pen now risks undoing years of progress.
Experts suggest she may need to adopt a victim narrative to maintain the backing of her voter base.
The RN stands as the largest single party in parliament, potentially complicating matters for Mr. Bayrou, who lacks a majority in the lower house.
The Paris Court of Appeal announced it would review Le Pen’s case in a timeline that might allow her to contest the elections if her conviction is overturned or her sentence modified.
