Good news for Marine Le Pen – opening door for 2027 presidential run

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French far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen has announced that she will run for president in 2027, after an appeals court shortened her ban on running for public office. Le Pen was found guilty earlier this year of embezzling money from the European Parliament to pay staff working for her National Rally party, casting uncertainty over her political future. The appeals court did not clear her name, but it reduced the ban by 15 months and backdated it to March 2025. Le Pen has now lodged a separate appeal against a requirement for her to wear an ankle tag while on a period of home arrest, which will coincide with campaigning. Her National Rally party leads the polls and is expected to win the first round handily. But the second round will be tight.

Read more: France awaits decision on whether Marine Le Pen can run for president