French prosecutors ask appeal court to keep ban on Marine Le Pen running for office

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Angelique ChrisafisFebruary 3, 2026 at 08:22 PM

AI Summary

medium article 4 min

French state prosecutors have requested that an appeal court uphold a five-year ban on Marine Le Pen from holding office, potentially preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election. The request stems from her conviction for embezzling European Parliament funds in a fake jobs scandal between 2004 and 2016. Prosecutors also recommended a four-year prison sentence, with most of it suspended, and a €100,000 fine. They argued that Le Pen was central to a systematic scheme that misused funds meant for parliamentary assistants to pay party workers in France. Le Pen is appealing last year's verdict, seeking to overturn the conviction and sentence. The appeal court judges will deliberate and issue a verdict before the summer.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Thierry Ramonatxo 40% Front National 40% Brussels 40% Strasbourg 40% Stéphane Madoz-Blanchet 50% European Parliament ×570% National Rally (RN) 70% France ×380% Marine Le Pen ×8100%

Keywords

marine le pen 100% embezzlement 90% european parliament funds 80% appeal court 70% fake jobs scandal 70% election ban 70% french presidential election 60% prison sentence 50% national rally 40%