The dominant figure on France's far right, Marine Le Pen, is pressing ahead with a presidential bid despite an embezzlement conviction, in a gamble that could test her appeal among undecided voters.
Here is a look at what's next ahead of the 2027 elections:
Le Pen's anti-immigration Rassemblement National (RN) party sees its best chance yet to win the country's top job after 10 years under centrist Emmanuel Macron.
Veteran politician Le Pen, 57, has run three times already, twice reaching the second-round runoff.
She has decided to run for a fourth time despite being convicted on appeal of misappropriation of European public funds, choosing to buy time by challenging her conviction before France's highest court.
