French far-right leader Marine Le Pen found guilty of embezzlement, barred from seeking public office

Marine Le Pen found guilty of embezzling EU funds, barred from public office, faces up to 10 years in prison.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen strode out of a French court as the chief judge on Monday (March 31, 2025) barred her from seeking public office after she was found guilty of embezzling EU funds.

The Judge hasn’t yet said how long Ms. Le Pen will be ineligible for running for public office.

Ms. Le Pen didn’t wait around to find out. In a moment of high drama, she got up and left, walking out of the court and then the courthouse before she was driven away.

A French court found Marine Le Pen guilty in an embezzlement case but didn’t immediately say what her sentence might be.

Ms. Le Pen, sitting in the front row in the Paris court, showed no immediate reaction as the chief Judge declared her guilty. She later repeatedly nodded her head in disagreement as the judge went into greater detail, saying Ms. Le Pen’s party had illegally used European Parliament money for its own benefit. “Incredible,” she whispered at one point.

The Judge also handed down guilty verdicts to eight other current or former members of her party who, like her, previously served as European Parliament lawmakers.

Ms. Le Pen and her co-defendants face up to 10 years in prison. They can appeal, which would lead to another trial.