Marine Le Pen: From the Fringes to Political Earthquake

Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right National Rally, was convicted of embezzling EU funds, barring her from office for five years. She transformed her party from the fringes to a political powerhouse, challenging France's mainstream politics and running for presidency three times, with significant impact.

Marine Le Pen, the longstanding leader of France's far-right, has seen her political future take a severe hit after a French court found her guilty of embezzling European Union funds, effectively barring her from public office for five years. The conviction marks a dramatic turn for Le Pen, who had become a formidable force in French politics.

Having rebranded the National Rally, Le Pen made strides in legitimizing the far-right in France, running for the presidency three times and garnering substantial support along the way. Her strategic reframing of the party drew in a diverse voter base and challenged traditional political boundaries in France.

Despite the verdict and its repercussions, Le Pen's influence on French and European politics remains undeniable. Her adept navigation of political spaces pushed previously fringe ideas into the mainstream and reshaped the political landscape in a country historically wary of extremism.

(With inputs from agencies.)