Marine Le Pen's Rally: A Surge of Populist Defiance

Despite her conviction for embezzlement, Marine Le Pen held a rally that mingled protest with a campaign atmosphere, challenging the French judicial system. Supporters of her far-right party, National Rally, portrayed the legal ruling as a political attack, drawing comparisons to U.S. politics.

Marine Le Pen, the embattled far-right politician from France, organized a massive rally on Sunday, challenging a recent conviction for embezzlement of public funds. Her supporters, waving French flags, gathered near Les Invalides in Paris, insisting the verdict was politically motivated while chanting slogans suggesting her candidacy in the 2027 presidential race.

At the gathering, Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally and Le Pen's protégé, delivered a fervent speech, accusing the judges of attempting to sabotage the opposition. The event highlighted the party's strategy of framing the legal system as biased, rallying their base around claims of judicial corruption.

Counter-protests emerged, criticizing the National Rally's tactics as resembling U.S.-style authoritarianism. The situation has sparked debates on justice and democracy in France, setting the stage for potential significant shifts in French politics ahead of the upcoming election season.

(With inputs from agencies.)