Court to rule on Le Pen’s presidential bid - Taipei Times

MISUSING EU FUNDS:

If the court of appeals upheld a lengthy ban on Marine Le Pen holding office, her protege Jordan Bardella might run in her stead

AP, PARIS

A Paris appeals court was yesterday to rule on former French far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s eligibility to stand in the next presidential election.The verdict was to be delivered from 1:30pm and could take several hours to read. It could reshape next year’s contest to replace French President Emmanuel Macron if it forces the popular Le Pen out of the picture. The constitution prevents Macron from seeking a third consecutive term.Le Pen, 57, is appealing a conviction in March last year that found her and other members of her National Rally party guilty of misusing European Parliament funds by paying party staff with money intended for EU parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016.

Police wait for the verdict in the trial of former French far-right leader Marine Le Pen at the Palais de Justice courthouse in Paris yesterday.