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A French court has found Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzlement of EU funds and has convicted her. As a result, the leader of the National Rally (RN) was barred from running for President in 2027, even though she was the front-runner in many polls, reported Reuters. Political leaders from around the world expressed their support for Le Pen in this situation.
Marine Le Pen received a five-year public office ban that cannot be suspended by appeal. However, she is able to retain her parliamentary seat until the end of her term. In addition, she got a four-year prison sentence with two years suspended and two years to be served under home detention. There is also a 100,000 euro fine, although these will only apply once her appeals are exhausted.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán quickly expressed his support for his ally. In a post on X, he wrote: “Je suis Marine!”.
Je suis Marine! @MLP_officiel
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) March 31, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that what happened with Le Pen is a “very big deal.”
He added that a lot of people thought the French politician would not be convicted. The President also pointed out that what happened now in France is very much like what happened to him in the United States, Reuters wrote.
Fidesz MEP Kinga Gál, vice president of the Patriots for Europe EP group (of which Le Pen’s National Rally is a member), wrote on her social media page that Monday was a dark day for French democracy. According to her, the court verdict proves that “if they cannot beat you in elections, they use the judiciary to exclude you from politics.”
A dark day for French democracy.
The court verdict against @MLP_officiel proves once again: if they cannot beat you in elections, they use the judiciary to exclude you from politics. This is what successful patriotic politicians have to face today.
In a democracy, political… pic.twitter.com/3E3pzrDGPd
— Kinga Gál (@kingagalMEP) March 31, 2025
The Fidesz EP group wrote on X that “Brussels-backed forces” are using a court ruling based on made up charges to block Le Pen from running for office.
So much for the “rule of law” in France—Brussels-backed forces are using a court ruling based on made up charges to block @MLP_officiel from running for office.
⚖️ HoD @dajcstomi called it what it really is: a disgrace.
— FideszEP (@FideszEP) March 31, 2025
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reacted to the news on his Facebook page. He wrote that the French court verdict made it clear what “liberal democracy” means: patriots are allowed to be pushed aside at all costs – by court rulings, by external interference, by assassination attempts – while pro-war Brussels pazoliticians are allowed to do everything – from making text messages about tens of billions of euros of overdue vaccine orders disappear, to stealing mobile phones, to committing insider trading.
However, not everyone is displeased with the conviction. German Green MEP Daniel Freund, who often criticizes the Hungarian government, wrote on X: “Now do Orbán!”
Now do Orbán!
— Daniel Freund (@daniel_freund) March 31, 2025
Via Reuters, Featured photo via Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Benko Vivien Cher