French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has said she will run for president in 2027 and appeal to the country’s highest court against an embezzlement conviction that requires her to wear an electronic tag for a year.

“I can’t campaign with a label,” the National Rally leader told French television in a combative prime-time interview. “I want to pursue all legal avenues to defend my innocence in this case.”

Hours earlier, a Paris appeals court found her guilty of embezzling €2.8m (£2.4m) of EU funds in a fake jobs scheme, but ruled she could run for president with a label.

He will now take the case to France’s highest civil court, the Court of Cassation.

The decision is a notable political gamble and ends months of speculation that Le Pen would hand the nomination to her party’s president, Jordan Bardella, 30.

Prosecutors have also said they will appeal.

When asked if there was a scenario in which she would not run, she said: “No, there isn’t. I’m here tonight to tell you that I am a candidate for the 2027 election.”

He said his campaign would begin immediately to “begin the renaissance of France” and that he would not change his mind.

Although Le Pen continues to maintain her innocence, she and several party colleagues have been found guilty twice of a scam that she denied organizing but previously admitted was “a mistake.”

The Paris appeal court upheld an initial ruling that between 2004 and 2016 she and others had misappropriated funds intended for members of the European Parliament and used the money to pay party staff.

His decision to announce his candidacy comes less than 10 months before the first round of the French presidential elections on April 18 and May 2, 2027.