The appeal ruling will determine Le Pen’s political future and effectively signal the start of the presidential race. The first round will be held on April 18, 2027, and the final will be held on May 2.
She was banned from holding public office for five years when a court found her guilty on March 31, 2025, of embezzling €1.4 million (£1.2 million) from European Parliament (EP) funds between 2004 and 2016 to pay her own party staff instead of parliamentary aides. Le Pen was a member of the EP (MEP) from 2004 to 2017.
She was also sentenced to four years in prison, two suspended and two to be served at home with electronic tags.
Le Pen was found to have approved or condoned the fake jobs plan, and the ruling will exclude her from the 2027 elections.
In appeals held in January and February, Le Pen denied organizing the fraud but acknowledged “mistakes” in allowing some parliamentary aides to work “for the benefit of the party.”
Prosecutors are now seeking four years in prison, including one year of electronic tagging and three years of probation, while maintaining the previous five-year ban from public office.
Le Pen said she was not afraid of the decision but believed it would be “impossible” for her to run for president if the judges decided to tag her.
