Paris Court of Appeal allows Marine Le Pen to run for French president
The Paris Court of Appeal reduced the ban on participating in elections for French far-right politician Marine Le Pen to the period she has already served. This allows her to run in France’s presidential election next year.
As The Guardian writes, Le Pen was not acquitted in the fraud case. According to the publication, the Court of Appeal reduced the five-year ban on participating in elections, imposed last year by the Paris criminal court, to the period she has already served.
Court ruling
Columnist Mujtaba Rahman notes that Le Pen was convicted twice in a case involving the misappropriation of more than €4 million in European Union funds. She filed a final appeal with France’s highest court. If it is considered quickly and rejected, the politician could campaign in the spring with an electronic ankle bracelet.
According to Rahman, Le Pen’s return to the presidential race makes her a stronger candidate for the National Rally than Jordan Bardella, who had been considered a possible candidate for the party. The National Rally is using the new campaign slogan “Revival,” linking it to Le Pen’s return.
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Polls
Two polls conducted after the Court of Appeal’s decision indicate that Le Pen could defeat all possible opponents in the second round of the presidential election, the author writes. In particular, an Ifop poll showed her leading former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe by 54% to 46%.
The same gap was recorded among voters over the age of 65. According to figures cited in the column, people in this age group account for 28% of France’s 50 million registered voters.
Rahman also believes that the National Rally’s economic policy combines high social spending, low taxes, market-based approaches and state intervention. In his view, a possible Le Pen presidency would mean a return to a tougher course toward the EU.
