Marine Le Pen is permitted to run for the French presidency in the 2027 election, despite a 2025 embezzlement conviction. This decision comes with the condition that she must wear an electronic tag, a requirement she previously stated as “not possible.” Initially sentenced to a five-year ban from presidential candidacy, the appeals court has reduced her ineligibility to 45 months. Of these, 30 months are suspended and 15 served; hence, she is eligible for the April 2027 election.

Le Pen has not disclosed her election plans yet. She was anticipated to speak on Tuesday at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. Eastern). Le Pen, affiliated with the National Rally party, faced legal consequences in 2025 for misusing EU funds to pay staff from 2004 to 2016. A prior ruling mandated her to pay over $100,000 in fines and serve a four-year prison term, partly suspended and partly under house arrest, with a tracking tag. These conditions were reinstated following the appeal.

The judge altered her sentence to three years, with two suspended and one year under house arrest with tagging. Le Pen has expressed opposition to candidacy under such conditions, citing the inability to campaign freely. She said, “If it is a matter of allowing me to run […] while effectively preventing me from campaigning with complete freedom, you will surely understand that that is not possible.” Le Pen may ask for the electronic tag period to be reduced to six months, potentially allowing unrestricted campaigning.

Rodolphe Bosselut, Le Pen’s lawyer, expressed partial satisfaction with the verdict, viewing it as a “good start.” Le Pen and eight party members faced harsher penalties, including potential prison time up to ten years. However, only Le Pen’s case proceeded to significant consequences, along with a dozen parliamentary aides found guilty.

Before the ruling, Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old party president, was expected to take the party’s lead if Le Pen was disqualified. Polls suggest Le Pen and Bardella share similar support. Both are performing well ahead of other parties, commanding 31-36% in surveys for the election’s first round, according to Ipsos BVA.

In France’s presidential elections, voters participate in two rounds. The first round is scheduled for April 18, 2027. A second round on May 2 will determine the winner from the top two candidates. Historically, a coalition of various political factions in the second round, termed the “Republican Front,” has blocked far-right success.

However, the National Rally’s support has increased, raising the prospect of a far-right victory next year. Le Pen’s previous runs in 2017 and 2022 reached the second round, indicating the party’s growing influence. This trend marks a significant shift since her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, struggled for political acceptance after founding the party in 1972.

Jean-Marie Le Pen’s 2002 run was a breakthrough when he unexpectedly entered the second-round ballot against Jacques Chirac, though he gained less than 18% of the vote. Since then, the 2017 election saw Emmanuel Macron defeat Marine Le Pen, with a notable 18% margin reduction in 2022, suggesting potential success for the National Rally in upcoming elections. Macron, after serving two terms, cannot run again in 2027. According to pollster Adelaide Zulfikarpasic, Le Pen’s party has reached unprecedented strength in the lead-up to a presidential election.