French prosecutors ask appeal court to keep ban on Marine Le Pen running for office
Source: The Guardian
French prosecutors ask appeal court to keep ban on Marine Le Pen running for office
Far-right leader was barred for five years after being found guilty of extensive fake jobs scam at European parliament
Angelique Chrisafis
Tue 3 Feb 2026 19.22 GMT
Last modified on Tue 3 Feb 2026 21.00 GMT
French state prosecutors have asked appeal court judges to maintain a five-year election ban on the far-right leader Marine Le Pen for embezzlement of European parliament funds in a fake jobs scandal.
If the judges decide to grant the request, Le Pen would probably not be able to run in France’s 2027 presidential election.
The state prosecutors also recommended a four-year prison sentence against Le Pen, three of which would be suspended, and one served at home with an electronic bracelet. They also requested a €100,000 (£86,000) fine.
“The seriousness of the charges means any other sanction would be inadequate,” Stéphane Madoz-Blanchet, one of the state prosecutors in the case, said on Tuesday.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/03/french-prosecutors-ask-appeal-court-to-keep-ban-on-marine-le-pen-running-for-office