The conviction of France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen for embezzling European Union funds came as a major blow to her, preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election race. Her party called the trial a 'witch hunt' and she accused the court of making a “political decision”, a sentiment shared by far-right politicians across the world. So, could Le Pen’s sentence strengthen far-right parties and benefit their leader’s popularity? And could she end up standing as president in any case?

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Further reading:

Jordan Bardella: immigrants’ son to French far-right poster boy

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How Marine Le Pen’s conviction could strengthen the far-right

The Story

How Marine Le Pen’s conviction could strengthen the far-right