Marine Le Pen appeals EU funds misuse verdict that could affect presidential bid

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far‑right National Rally, has lodged an appeal against a court ruling that convicted her of misusing European Union funds. The judgment, delivered by a Paris criminal court, found that Le Pen had directed €500,000 of EU money earmarked for parliamentary activities to her party’s 2017 election campaign, a breach of European financial regulations. The court sentenced her to a suspended three‑year prison term and imposed a €150,000 fine, a decision she described as “politically motivated” and vowed to contest in higher courts.

The appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal in Paris, where Le Pen’s legal team argues that the evidence does not substantiate the alleged diversion of funds and that procedural errors compromised the original trial. If the appellate court upholds the verdict, the conviction could trigger further sanctions, including the loss of EU funding for the National Rally and potential disqualification from future public office. The case underscores ongoing scrutiny of political financing across the European Union and adds to the legal challenges facing prominent French politicians.