Marine Le Pen's Political Future Unraveled by Legal Verdict

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen received a five-year ban from public office due to fund misappropriation, hindering her 2027 presidential race aspirations. The verdict shocked her party and sparked global reactions, questioning democratic integrity in France and echoing across international political landscapes.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been hit with a significant setback as a French court sentenced her to a five-year ban from public office for misappropriation of funds. This decision effectively ends her ambitions for the 2027 presidential race.

Reacting to the verdict, Jordan Bardella, current National Rally president, denounced the ruling as an injustice against French democracy. Similarly, Eric Ciotti criticized the judicial system for allegedly undermining candidates on the political right. Eric Zemmour described the judgement as a misstep for judges in determining electoral candidates.

Internationally, the ruling drew criticisms from notable figures like Matteo Salvini and Dmitry Peskov. Salvini attacked Brussels, viewing the decision as symptomatic of anti-democratic trends, while Kremlin's Peskov expressed concern over European political processes circumventing democratic norms.

(With inputs from agencies.)