Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
France’s Le Pen Sentenced To Prison, Banned From Running In Election
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PARIS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – France’s fiercely anti-immigration and populist politician Marine Le Pen pledged to fight for her political life after being convicted of embezzlement by a French court and barred from running in the next election in 2027.
She and her lawyer vowed to appeal the ruling.
Judges at the Paris criminal court found Le Pen and her National Rally party guilty of diverting 4.4 million euros ($ 4.8 million) in European Union funds to finance activities related to their domestic agenda.
Le Pen, 56, was sentenced to two years in prison and given an immediate five-year election ban, complicating her ambitions of replacing President Emmanuel Macron.
It came as a significant setback for both Le Pen and her National Rally, seen as far-right by observers after past antisemitic rhetoric uttered by the party’s late founder, Jean Louis Marie Le Pen.
“The rule of law has been totally violated by this decision,” Marine Le Pen said in an interview. “I didn’t expect the judges would go that far against the democratic process.”
Le Pen claimed that the ruling was a deliberate effort to prevent her from gaining the presidency.
POPULAR POLITICIAN
In a Sunday poll for the weekly Journal du Dimanche, between 34 percent and 37 percent of those surveyed said they planned to vote for her in the first round of France’s two-step presidential election process, more than 10 points clear of her nearest rival.
Observers have drawn parallels with the U.S.
President Donald J. Trump won a second term with what he viewed as politically motivated criminal cases hanging over him.
Like Le Pen, he has made trenchant opposition to immigration a cornerstone of his program.
Le Pen’s conviction had broader implications for leaders who participated in a recent “Make Europe Great Again” gathering to broaden further support for nation-first right-wing and even far-right parties.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of her and Trump, was among the first European leaders to condemn Monday’s court ruling. “Je suis Marine,” Orban said on social media platform X following the court ruling in solidarity with Le Pen.
Russia also condemned the sentencing of Le Pen and the banning from running for office for five years, calling it a politically motivated attack on democratic norms.
“More and more European capitals are going down the path of violating democratic norms,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We do not interfere in France’s internal affairs and never have,” Peskov added. “But our observation of European capitals shows that they do not shy away from stepping outside the bounds of democracy in the political process.”
Critics have questioned Russia’s democratic norms after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
In a setback to those hoping for regime change in the Islamic Republic, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signaled Friday that he may begin “winding down” military operations against Iran, saying Washington is close to achieving its objectives.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Hungary in a last-minute show of support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who faces his toughest election since returning to power in 2010, officials familiar with the planning confirmed.
Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.
Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.
Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.
As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com