French appeals court upholds Marine Le Pen conviction but reduces sentence, preserving 2027 candidacy

A Paris appeals court on July 7, 2026, upheld the conviction of Marine Le Pen for the misuse of European public funds, but reduced her sentence in a ruling that allows the far-right leader to remain legally eligible for France's 2027 presidential election.

The decision modifies a prior penalty that included an immediate five-year ban on seeking public office. By reducing the ban to 45 months—with 30 months suspended and the remainder backdated to her March 2025 initial conviction—the court ensured the penalty will expire before the next presidential race, allowing Le Pen to stand as a candidate.

The legal proceedings centered on allegations that Le Pen and members of her National Rally party improperly diverted funds provided by the European Parliament. The charges stated that these public allowances were used to pay personnel who were actually engaged in domestic political operations in France, rather than European legislative duties.

While the appellate court's sentence reduction averts a definitive end to her candidacy, the ruling introduces substantial complexities to her campaign. Le Pen was handed a three-year prison sentence, with two years suspended and the remaining year to be served under house arrest with an electronic monitoring tag. She has previously stated that the logistical restrictions of an electronic bracelet would make a nationwide presidential campaign nearly impossible.

The specific conditions under which the monitoring sentence will be carried out are expected to be determined by a judge. The ruling represents a major development in a protracted legal inquiry that has challenged her political apparatus for several years.