For over a decade, Marine Le Pen has fought, scrapped, and clawed her way towards the Elysee Palace. After three failed attempts, the 2027 French presidential race was set to be her best chance – until a Paris court seemingly put an end to her dream.

The 56-year-old leader of the National Rally has each time built on her hard-right base, pulling in more votes from the fringes, and next time, opinion polls suggest, she might have finally broken through.

Marine Le Pen reacts at the National Assembly during a session on Tuesday.Credit: AP

Le Pen was found guilty of embezzling European Union funds – misusing €4.4 million ($7.5 million) meant for parliamentary duties to further the National Rally’s political activities. The court handed down a harsh verdict: an electronic tag and house arrest, a two-year suspended jail sentence, a €100,000 fine, and crucially, a five-year ban from holding public office, effectively barring her from contesting the next presidential election.

This wasn’t some minor infraction – it was a deliberate effort to skew France’s electoral process through a fake jobs scam involving parliamentary assistants. Le Pen may have avoided personal financial gain, but her role in the fraud was undeniable, the court found. The court’s decision to bar her from running for office immediately, even before her appeal, was an attempt to preserve the integrity of France’s elections.

Yet, while the decision is legally sound, the political ramifications are far-reaching. It’s not just a legal ruling; it’s a flashpoint in an ongoing battle for the soul of........

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