Marine Le Pen told an appeals court in Paris she felt "no sense" of guilt as hearings opened over a European Parliament jobs scheme that could bar her from the 2027 presidential ballot. The initial conviction found a coordinated system from 2004–2016 and sentenced her to four years (two suspended) and a €100,000 fine; on appeal she risks up to 10 years and a €1 million fine. Twelve defendants, including Le Pen and the RN itself, have appealed; a ruling is expected this summer and could push RN president Jordan Bardella into the lead if Le Pen is disqualified.
Le Pen Appeals Conviction As Month-Long Trial Could Decide Her 2027 Bid
A poll in November predicted Jordan Bardella (R) would win the second-round presidential election (Christophe ARCHAMBAULT)(Christophe ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/AFP)
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen told an appeals court in Paris she felt "no sense" of having committed any wrongdoing as a month-long hearing opened that could determine whether she is eligible to run for president in 2027.
Appeal Challenges Earlier Verdict
The appeal confronts a 2024 ruling that barred Le Pen — head of the National Rally (RN) — from holding public office for five years after judges concluded she and others ran a scheme using European Parliament funds to employ party staff in France between 2004 and 2016. In the first-instance judgment she was sentenced to four years in prison, two of them suspended, and fined €100,000.
What Le Pen Says
"I had no sense of having committed the slightest offence when, in 2004, 2009, and 2014, we hired our assistants," Le Pen, 57, told the appeals court. She denied wrongdoing and argued the European Parliament should have flagged any problems earlier.
Possible Outcomes And Legal Nuance
On appeal she faces the risk of tougher penalties if the conviction and sentence are upheld or increased — up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of €1 million. Legal technicalities mean she might still be able to stand if the court imposes a shorter ineligibility period or if any custodial element is served under house arrest with no remaining time to serve.
Defendants, Reactions And Political Stakes
Twelve defendants, including Le Pen and the RN party itself, have appealed; another 12 accepted their convictions and one has since died. Judges defended the initial decision to bar Le Pen from running, saying elected officials should not receive "preferential treatment" and citing a risk of reoffending. The ruling prompted strong reactions at home and abroad, with figures such as former US President Donald Trump, former adviser Steve Bannon and the Kremlin voicing concern.
Broader Context
Le Pen transformed the party formerly known as the National Front when she took over from her father in 2011 and has twice reached France's presidential run-off (2017 and 2022). With Emmanuel Macron ineligible to run again in 2027 under France's constitution, the election is seen as a critical moment for the RN. Polling by Verian for Le Monde found 42% of French respondents now agree with ideas defended by the RN, up from 29% before the 2022 vote.
Le Pen has said that if she is barred from the ballot, RN president Jordan Bardella — not a defendant in the case — could run in her place. Bardella has described a ruling preventing Le Pen from running as "deeply worrying for democracy," while stopping short of declaring himself a presidential candidate, saying he is aiming toward the prime ministerial role.
The appeals hearings are scheduled to last a month, with a decision expected this summer; the outcome will shape the RN's strategy and the wider political landscape ahead of the 2027 election.
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