A Paris appeals court will decide if Marine Le Pen can stand in next year’s presidential election. But legal troubles have not damaged the fortunes of her party
I
n a Paris courtroom, the first act of the 2027 French presidential election is already under way. On Tuesday Marine Le Pen began to answer judges’ questions in her appeal against a conviction relating to the embezzlement of European parliament funds. If she wins, the far-right leader will be free to run for the presidency for a fourth time. If the sentence is upheld, her 30-year-old protege, Jordan Bardella, is almost certain to take her place in the race.
Having presented the original verdict as an assault on democracy by judges bent on thwarting her political ambitions, Ms Le Pen has softened her stance. If the appeals court is swayed by arguments that offences committed by her National Rally party were inadvertent, a five-year ban on running for public office may be reduced or overturned. Even if she loses, however, her political opponents may not be inclined to celebrate too enthusiastically.
Mr Bardella is seen by many voters as the likelier candidate to pull off a historic far-right triumph in 2027. Since Ms Le Pen’s conviction last March, he has performed a tricky balancing act, protesting her innocence while demonstrating his own credentials for taking her place. As party president, he has used the time to try to broaden its appeal beyond a mainly blue-collar base, wooing the traditional right and business interests.
