French court to rule on Marine Le Pen's 2027 presidential eligibility

The political future of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen hangs in the balance as a Paris appeals court prepares to rule on whether she can stand in France's 2027 presidential election.

The court is expected to begin delivering its verdict from 1:30 p.m., with proceedings likely to last several hours, Caliber.Az reports, citing French media.

The decision could significantly reshape the race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

Le Pen, 57, is challenging a March 2025 conviction that found her and several members of her National Rally party guilty of misusing European Parliament funds by paying party employees with money allocated for parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016.

The lower court handed Le Pen a prison sentence, suspended pending appeal, and barred her from holding elected office for five years.

She has consistently denied any wrongdoing and remains determined to launch a fourth presidential campaign.

However, if the appeals court upholds the lengthy ban, it could prevent her from contesting the 2027 election and bring to a halt the political career that has helped transform the National Rally into one of France's leading political forces.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov