Paris appeals court upheld the far-right leader’s conviction for misusing EU funds but reduced her public-office ban, allowing her to run next year while imposing a one-year sentence under electronic monitoringA Paris appeals court on Tuesday upheld Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing European Parliament funds but reduced her ban from public office, formally allowing the far-right leader to run in France’s presidential election next year while leaving her with a punishment she has said could make a campaign impossible.The court shortened Le Pen’s effective ineligibility period to 15 months, meaning it is expected to expire before the 2027 presidential race. But it also sentenced her to one year under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, as well as two years suspended and a 100,000-euro fine. Le Pen, 57, has recently said she would probably not run if forced to campaign under electronic monitoring, arguing that it would require special permission to attend rallies and make it difficult to conduct a normal national campaign.GalleryMarine Le Pen (Photo: Bertrand GUAY / AFP)Le Pen is expected to appear on French television later Tuesday and address her political future. Her lawyers said after the ruling that they would review the decision and consider their next steps.The ruling leaves Le Pen in a legally stronger but politically complicated position. She has spent years transforming National Rally, formerly the National Front, into France’s most powerful far-right movement and is widely seen as one of the strongest contenders to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, who cannot run again. Her prospects were thrown into doubt in March 2025, when she and other party figures were convicted in a corruption case over the misuse of European Parliament funds.The case centered on allegations that between 2004 and 2016, National Rally officials used European Parliament money meant for parliamentary assistants in Brussels and Strasbourg to pay party staff in France while the party was under financial pressure. Le Pen was convicted of knowingly helping run the scheme. At first instance, she was sentenced to four years in prison, including two years under electronic monitoring, fined 100,000 euros and barred from public office for five years, a ban that took immediate effect.Le Pen has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called the case politically motivated, saying it was designed to keep her out of the presidency. During the appeal, she acknowledged making a “mistake” and accepted that some employees paid as European parliamentary assistants also worked for her party, but said she believed the arrangement was permitted and had never tried to hide it. She also accused European Parliament officials of failing to warn the party at the time that its employment practices could violate the rules.Jordan Bardella (Photo: Menahem KAHANA / AFP)Le Pen has said she still wants to make a fourth run for the presidency, but only if she can campaign freely and without restrictions. Tuesday’s ruling gave her the formal right to stand but also triggered the scenario she had warned could force her to step aside.If Le Pen does not run, National Rally’s likely candidate would be Jordan Bardella, her 30-year-old protégé and the party’s president. Polls suggest Bardella could also be competitive in the presidential race, though analysts say his age and limited experience could become vulnerabilities in a national campaign.Before the ruling, Bardella wrote on X that “nothing can justify” keeping Le Pen away from voters in the presidential race. “Marine, I want to say only one thing: you could count on me yesterday, you can count on me today, and you will be able to count on me tomorrow,” he wrote.The first round of France’s presidential election is expected in April 2027, with a runoff in May if no candidate wins more than 50% in the first round. The race is expected to begin taking shape in September and accelerate early next year. To qualify, each candidate must secure the backing of 500 elected officials.