“It would be deeply shocking if Marine Le Pen were deemed ineligible,” denounces Gérald Darmanin

The former Minister of the Interior attacks the requisitions targeting Marine Le Pen and believes that the “fight” is being done “at the ballot boxes, not elsewhere”.

Unexpected support to say the least. After the requisitions against Marine Le Pen as part of the trial of the parliamentary assistants of the National Front, Wednesday November 13, Gérald Darmanin published a message in which he denounced the possible ineligibility of the triple candidate in the presidential election. “It would be deeply shocking if Marine Le Pen were deemed ineligible and, thus, unable to stand before the vote of the French people”reacted the deputy from the North and former Minister of the Interior on X.

“Fighting Madame Le Pen is done at the ballot box, not elsewhere”says Gérald Darmanin. “If the court judges that she must be condemned, she cannot be so electorally, without the expression of the people. Let us not be afraid of democracy and avoid widening, even further, the difference between the 'elites' and the vast majority of our fellow citizens”he continues. A possible reversal of certain voices from the presidential camp, such as Sacha Houlié, former president of the law commission, for whom “the law of the Republic applies to everyone. To all defendants. To all delinquents.”

The prosecution requested the conviction of all the defendants and notably requested five years in prison, three of which were suspended, a sentence which remains adjustable, a fine of 300,000 euros, and five years of ineligibility, with provisional execution. This additional penalty has been mandatory since the so-called “Sapin 2” law, which came into force on December 11, 2016, i.e. within 20 days of the period of the alleged offenses (2004-2016). Provisional execution would make it effective despite appeals, if the court followed these requisitions. This could considerably darken the political future of Marine Le Pen, who wishes to run again in the presidential election in 2027.