Marine Le Pen hopes to remain eligible for presidency in 2027

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has said that she has "tiny hope" to still run in the 2027 presidential election.

Le Pen is set to appear before the Paris Court of Appeal in early 2026 to challenge her conviction in a high-profile case involving misuse of European Parliament funds, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

She was sentenced on March 31, 2025, to four years in prison—two of which are suspended—a €100,000 fine, and five years of ineligibility from holding elected office. The sentence, which took immediate effect, threatens to derail any potential presidential bid in 2027

The case centers on a fraudulent scheme between 2004 and 2016 in which party staff were allegedly paid using EU funds earmarked for parliamentary assistants. Le Pen and 24 others, including former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), party aides, and accountants, were found guilty of participating in the operation. The total financial damage to the European Parliament is estimated at €3.2 million.

The appeal hearing is scheduled for January 13 to February 12, 2026.

Le Pen has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

By Sabina Mammadli