This appeal verdict will decide Le Pen’s political future and, in effect, kick off the presidential race. The first round will be on April 18, 2027 and the second round will be on May 2.

On 31 March 2025, she was banned from holding public office for five years when a court found her guilty of embezzling €1.4 million (£1.2 million) of European Parliament (EP) funds to pay her own party employees between 2004 and 2016 instead of parliamentary assistants. Le Pen was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2004 to 2017.

She was also sentenced to four years in prison, two suspended and two to be served at home with an electronic tag.

Le Pen was found to have approved or tolerated the fake jobs scheme, and the verdict ruled her out of the 2027 election.

During the appeal, heard in January and February, Le Pen denied organizing the scam, but admitted to “a mistake” that led some parliamentary aides to work “for the benefit of the party.”

Prosecutors want the original five-year ban on public office to remain in place, with a four-year prison sentence that now includes one year served with an electronic tag and three years suspended.

Le Pen says she is not afraid of the decision, but believes it is “not possible” to run for president if judges decide she must wear a label.