STORY: :: Parisians react with mixed emotions to French far-right leader Le Pen’s embezzlement conviction
:: Paris, France
:: April 1, 2025
“We were waiting for it, we were hoping for it. We are very happy that the court issued this verdict. There was no reason for her not to be implicated, just like the others.”
“The judges wanted to show that they are independent and that they are strong in this country, but at the same time, one could be surprised that judges can decide who can run or not in an election.”
Pictures of Le Pen, seen by polls as the frontrunner in the 2027 race, peppered French newspapers on Tuesday morning, a day after a French court on Monday (March 31) barred her from placing a presidential bid after she was convicted of embezzlement.
Le Pen’s five-year public office ban cannot be suspended by appeal, although she will retain her parliamentary seat until her term ends. She also received a four-year prison sentence – two years of which are suspended and two years to be served under home detention, and a $108,200 (100,000-euro) fine, but they will not apply until her appeals are exhausted.
In Paris, some said they were “happy” about the conviction, while others expressed shock.
With Le Pen out of the running for 2027, her protege, National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella, is seen by many as her replacement in the race.
