A Paris appeals court has set July 7 as the date for its verdict in a high-stakes fraud case against Marine Le Pen, a decision that could reshape France’s political
landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Le Pen, the longtime leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), is appealing a lower court ruling that last year found her guilty of misusing European Parliament funds through a so-called fake jobs scheme. That ruling handed the 57-year-old politician a five-year ban from public office, a sanction that would effectively bar her from running for president in 2027 if upheld.
The announcement came at the end of appeal proceedings on Wednesday, with the presiding judge saying the court would deliver its decision in the early afternoon of July 7. Speaking briefly to reporters after the hearing, Le Pen said she welcomed the relatively swift timeline. “The sooner, the better,” she remarked.
The case is widely seen as a defining moment not only for Le Pen’s career but also for the future of France’s far-right movement. A three-time presidential candidate, Le Pen reached the second round of elections in both 2017 and 2022, losing to President Emmanuel Macron, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
Le Pen has said she will decide whether to launch another presidential bid once the appeals court issues its ruling. She has also floated the possibility of backing Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old president of National Rally, as an alternative candidate. A poll published in November suggested Bardella could win the second round of the 2027 race regardless of his opponent.
Prosecutors have urged the appeals court to uphold both the five-year ban and a four-year prison sentence, with three years suspended. In the initial trial, Le Pen received a four-year sentence, half of it suspended.
As France moves toward a post-Macron era, the July 7 verdict is expected to carry consequences far beyond the courtroom—potentially determining who can, and cannot, compete for the country’s highest office.
