Former National Rally leader Marine Le Pen vows to appeal embezzlement conviction as thousands gather in Paris, amid mounting political tensions ahead of 2027 elections.
Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of central Paris on Sunday in a show of solidarity with Marine Le Pen, the former leader of France’s right-wing National Rally (RN) party, following her recent conviction for embezzlement.
The rally, held at Place Vauban, drew an estimated 7,000 supporters according to police figures, while organizers and party officials claimed turnout was closer to 10,000.
Le Pen, a three-time presidential candidate and long-time figurehead of France’s populist right, was last week sentenced by a Paris court to four years in prison—two suspended and two to be served under house arrest—for misusing European Union funds.
The court also imposed a five-year ban on her holding public office, a decision that could prevent her from running in the 2027 presidential election.
In a defiant speech delivered from a temporary stage, Le Pen described the ruling as a politically motivated attack aimed at derailing her presidential ambitions.
“This decision has trampled on everything I hold most dear: my people, my country, and my honor,” she declared to a crowd waving tricolor flags and chanting slogans such as “Marine for president!” and “They won’t steal 2027 from us!”
Le Pen denounced the conviction as part of a broader campaign of political suppression, labeling it a “witch-hunt” orchestrated by the establishment to silence dissenting voices.
She also lashed out at the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), calling it a “totalitarian organism” and accusing it of selectively targeting candidates deemed threatening to the European political order.
“The system’s only purpose is to stay in place, no matter the cost,” she said, arguing that politically inconvenient figures across the continent are being systematically sidelined.
She cited the recent disqualification of Romanian presidential hopeful Calin Georgescu as evidence of a growing trend of democratic erosion within the European Union.
The demonstration was strongly supported by RN leadership, including current party president Jordan Bardella and 120 members of the National Assembly affiliated with the party.
Bardella told attendees that the case against Le Pen was part of an alarming pattern of judicial overreach.
“The people must be free to choose their leaders – without interference from political judges,” he said.
The event was not without opposition. A counter-demonstration organized by left-wing groups drew approximately 5,000 participants to another part of Paris.
The counter-protest was attended by Green Party leader Marine Tondelier and Manuel Bompard, national coordinator of the left-wing France Unbowed party, highlighting the deepening polarization of French politics.
Le Pen has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and has vowed to appeal the verdict.
Her legal team insists that the funds in question were used appropriately and that the prosecution is part of a broader effort to sideline populist leaders ahead of crucial electoral contests.
As France inches closer to the 2027 presidential election, the legal battle surrounding Le Pen is likely to have far-reaching political implications.
Whether her conviction marks the end of her political career or serves as a rallying cry for her base remains to be seen—but Sunday’s mass gathering in Paris suggests that, for now, her supporters remain steadfast.
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