The Paris Appeals Court is set to announce its decision on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 1:30 p.
m. regarding the five-year ineligibility sentence of National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.
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The ruling will determine whether she can stand as a candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
The case stems from allegations of embezzling European Parliament funds, which led to a first-instance conviction on March 31, 2025.
Le Pen was sentenced to five years of ineligibility with provisional execution, four years in prison with two years suspended under electronic monitoring, and a fine of 100,000 euros.
During the appeals trial, the prosecution maintained harsh demands, calling for five years of ineligibility and four years of imprisonment with three years suspended, according to Le Figaro.
Party Reactions and Internal Dynamics
National Rally officials have expressed a mix of anxiety and resilience ahead of the judicial decision.
The outcome could force party president Jordan Bardella into the presidential spotlight, as party members have criticized the trial's political implications while preparing their campaign strategy regardless of the legal result.
Le Pen acknowledged that her political future rests entirely in the hands of the judiciary.
"I know very well that the decision on my candidacy does not depend on me.
It depends on three magistrates who will decide whether or not the millions of French people who want to vote for me can do so," she said.
Recent polling has shown Bardella leading Le Pen in national popularity and voter intentions.
