Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far right, has announced her presidential bid after a Paris appeals court cut her ineligibility and allowed her to run again. She is backed by Jordan Bardella, the party’s rising figure. She plans to appeal to the Court of Cassation and to launch her campaign immediately. Le Pen says the ruling restores the French voters’ freedom to choose and that, together with Bardella, she will show citizens that their current situation is not inevitable.
- Marine Le Pen confirms she will run for president in the next election after a Paris court narrows her ineligibility
- She will launch the campaign immediately with Jordan Bardella as a duo to persuade voters
- She plans to take the case to the Court of Cassation to overturn or suspend the restrictions
- The court kept a penalty related to EU funds and adjusted the prison term while maintaining a fine
- Bardella resumes a central role as her campaign partner amid a crowded field of center, left, and other candidates
Marine Le Pen Announces 2027 Presidential Bid After Court Ruling Narrows Ineligibility
Marine Le Pen publicly confirmed she will seek the French presidency again in 2027 after the Paris Court of Appeal shortened her ineligibility period. The court kept her EU funds conviction in place but allowed her to run. She said she would start campaigning immediately with Jordan Bardella, the party leader, and planned to appeal the decision at the Court of Cassation to challenge aspects of the ruling.
Lead: Court ruling and campaign kickoff
The ruling allows Le Pen to enter the 2027 race despite the ongoing EU funds case. The appellate court upheld the core conviction for misusing European Parliament resources but reduced the penalty that blocked her from office. Le Pen signaled a rapid start to campaigning alongside Bardella, who leads the National Rally (RN) and has been viewed as the party’s strongest alternative option if she were blocked.
What the ruling changed
The court kept the conviction but cut the disqualification period, making a comeback possible. The new sentence for Le Pen combines a two-year suspended term with one year of house arrest under electronic monitoring, plus a €100,000 fine. The RN faces a separate €2 million fine, with a portion suspended. The court common-sense view allows Le Pen to run while serving part of her sentence.
Campaign plans and next steps
Le Pen told TF1 that she would launch the campaign right away with Bardella, presenting a two-person ticket to voters. She stressed they would argue that current conditions are not inevitable and that change is possible. After the ruling, she said she would appeal to the Court of Cassation, expressing confidence that the higher court could reverse or suspend the restrictions on her eligibility.
Context and background
Le Pen, now 57, was convicted in March 2025 for channeling about €1.4 million in EU funds to pay party staff in France from 2004 to 2016. She denied any irregularities and described the case as a political attack, while the party claimed it acted in good faith. The 2027 race features several contenders from the center and left, with Emmanuel Macron unable to run again due to term limits. On the right, Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal are among the center-right figures, and Mélenchon leads the left with a divided field. The RN, citing past electoral gains, remains hopeful of breaking through the current political balance.
Conclusion
The Paris Court of Appeal’s decision narrows Marine Le Pen’s ineligibility rather than removing it, allowing her to enter the 2027 election while maintaining the EU funds conviction and related penalties. By imposing a two-year suspended term plus one year of home detention with electronic monitoring and a €100,000 fine, the court preserves a cloud over her eligibility even as it clears a path to the ballot. Le Pen’s immediate campaign kickoff alongside Jordan Bardella signals a determined bid to redefine the political terrain amid a crowded field on the right, and to present a two-person ticket as a viable alternative to voters. She plans to appeal to the Court of Cassation in hopes of overturning or easing remaining restrictions, highlighting the ongoing legal dimension of her bid.
Contextually, the ruling keeps the core conviction intact but relieves the most prohibitive barrier to office, preserving a high-stakes narrative: that the electorate’s choice can be exercised even with a past EU funds misallocation finding. The election environment remains unsettled, with Macron term-limited and challengers from center to left seeking to shape the outcome. The RN’s Bardella central role reinforces the party’s intent to present a unified front. The Court of Cassation’s decision will be decisive in whether Le Pen’s path to the presidency is finally cleared or constrained once more. In sum, the ruling preserves Le Pen’s political viability while leaving legal uncertainties unresolved, ensuring the 2027 campaign will be fought on both policy grounds and ongoing judicial scrutiny.
Frequently asked questions
- How did the Paris Court of Appeal change Le Pen’s ban? The court reduced her ineligibility from five years to two years. It also ordered two years with a suspended sentence and one year of home detention with electronic monitoring. This lets her run in 2027.
- Does the ruling fully clear Le Pen? No. The conviction and fines stay. She plans to appeal to the Court of Cassation to challenge or seek relief from some limits.
- Who will lead Le Pen’s campaign with her? Jordan Bardella will join as her campaign partner and top ally.
- What did Le Pen say after the ruling? She said she is a candidate for the 2027 election and that the French people regained the right to vote. She also said the campaign would start quickly.
- What happens next legally? She will appeal to the Court of Cassation to try to overturn or ease the remaining restrictions.