How Paris appeals court ruling could upend Marine Le Pen's 2027 presidential bid

Paris’ appeals court is scheduled to rule Tuesday in Marine Le Pen’s embezzlement case, a decision that could reshape the field for France’s 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, 57, is appealing a March 2025 conviction that found her and other National Rally figures guilty of misusing European Parliament funds from 2004 to 2016 by paying party staff with money meant for EU parliamentary assistants. The lower court imposed suspended prison time and a five-year ban on holding elected office. If the ban is upheld, Le Pen’s eligibility could be in question; if she is barred, her protégé Jordan Bardella, 30, could become the party’s nominee. Possible outcomes range from acquittal to a reduced ban, with prosecutors able to seek further review at France’s Court of Cassation.