PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday commented for the first time since far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement and barred from running in France’s next presidential election.
Macron opened a weekly meeting of French ministers by addressing the court’s decision, recalling “three things” government spokesperson Sophie Primas said: “that the judiciary is independent;” “that the threats made against judges are absolutely unbearable and intolerable;” and that “the law is the same for everyone.”
Macron also stated that “all defendants have the right to legal recourse,” Primas said.
A three-judge panel on Monday found Le Pen guilty of embezzling funds from the European Parliament and sentenced her to four years in prison — two of which are suspended and the other two to be served under house arrest — fined her €100,000 and immediately barred her from standing for public office for the next five years.
That decision appeared to knock Le Pen out of the running for France’s next presidential election in 2027, unless an appeals court overturns the decision. The Paris Court of Appeals put out a statement Tuesday indicating that it would hear Le Pen’s appeal and issue a decision before summer 2026.
The decision to ban Le Pen from running immediately drew condemnation from her allies at home and abroad. Some deemed the decision antidemocratic, although many of their talking points misrepresent what happened during the trial and the controversy.
While few have called into question Le Pen’s guilt, even some of her adversaries have publicly questioned whether courts should be allowed to enforce ineligibility bans immediately — rather than waiting for the appeals process to conclude. In France, most punishments are lifted during the appeals process.
The backlash also led to threats against the judges involved in the case, one of whom has since received police protection.
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