Threatened by a sentence of ineligibility which would destroy her Elysee ambitions for 2027, Marine Le Pen is playing for her political survival in the coming weeks. His party has just launched an online petition “to defend democracy”.
The RN is stepping up to the plate. The prosecutors of the Paris judicial court demanded this Wednesday, November 13, a sentence of ineligibility against Marine Le Pen, three times candidate for the supreme office and accused of having diverted funds from the European Parliament for the benefit of her party.
“The provisional execution” of the sentence of ineligibility could prevent the RN deputy from running in the presidential election in 2027. Enough to push her party, although quick to judge the justice system is often lax, to launch an online petition.
“Defend democracy, support Marine,” we can read in a press release on the website of the movement led by Jordan Bardella.
“An attempt to eliminate the voice of true opposition”
“The prosecutors have requested unprecedented sentences against Marine Le Pen and the executives of our movement, without nuance or taking into account the realities of parliamentary life,” asserts the RN in this text, accusing the justice system of “attempting to eliminate the voice of the real opposition.
If the court follows the prosecution's requisitions in its judgment scheduled for the coming months, Marine Le Pen will not escape the penalty of ineligibility and will not be able to run in the presidential election in 2027, even if she appeals the judgement.
Enough to worry the tenors of the RN who have all stepped up to the plate since Wednesday evening to defend him.
“Not for judges to decide who can run in the presidential election”
RN deputy Sébastien Chenu denounced this Thursday morning on BFMTV “unworthy” requisitions against Marine Le Pen and a “political vision” of the Paris prosecutor's office. European MP Marion Maréchal, for her part, explained on our channel that it was “not up to judges to decide who can run in the presidential election”.
Since the start of the trial at the end of September, Marine Le Pen proclaims her “innocence”, that of her party and her co-defendants. “No” system, but a lot of “lies”, “fictions” and “misunderstandings”, she swore at the bar, also saying her “feeling” that the court’s opinion “was already made”.
After the announcement of the requisitions this Wednesday, the finalist in the last presidential election denounced the “desire of the prosecution to deprive the French of the ability to vote for those they want”.
Two options on the table for Le Pen
In the event that Marine Le Pen were to be sentenced to a penalty of ineligibility at the end of this trial, she will undoubtedly appeal the magistrates' decision. At this stage, two scenarios, with very distinct consequences, are possible.
If the court decides to follow the prosecution's requisitions by sentencing Marine Le Pen to a penalty of ineligibility accompanied by provisional execution, she will therefore not be able to be a candidate in any local or national election for the duration of her sentence, i.e. until in 2029.
So no more presidential election in 2027 or possible early legislative elections between now and then. However, she would remain a deputy until the end of her mandate, protected by her parliamentary status.
The cassation appeal, a ready-made solution
If the court decides not to follow the prosecution's requisitions, by sentencing Marine Le Pen without provisional execution, the penalty of ineligibility will be suspended on appeal until a new trial. And if she is convicted in second instance, the leader of the RN deputies will very likely file an appeal in cassation, also suspensive.
This procedure often takes years. Enough to portend the absence of a final conviction by 2027. In the event of victory in the presidential election, the legal procedure would also be suspended for the duration of his mandate at the Élysée.
