France: Marine Le Pen found guilty of embezzlement of public funds. Is this the end?

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), has been found guilty of embezzling public funds regarding the European parliamentary assistant scandal. The ruling was made on March 31, 2025, by the Paris Criminal Court. Le Pen, who ran for president in 2012, 2017, and 2022, faces substantial penalties, including up to 5 years in prison, with 2 years potentially served under a modified sentence, a €300,000 fine, and 5 years of ineligibility, with immediate enforcement.

The scandal centers on a fraudulent scheme that involved paying salaries to assistants who were not working, thereby diverting public funds. Le Pen embezzled € 474,000 in total, and her four parliamentary assistants were convicted of “aiding in embezzlement of public funds.” The total financial damage is estimated at €4.1 million, including €2.9 million in embezzled funds and €1.2 million linked to complicity.

Eight other members of her party, including European deputies, were also found guilty. The case is significant not only for the legal implications but also for its potential impact on Le Pen’s political future, as she is considered a frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election. The key question now is whether her ineligibility penalty will be enforced immediately, which could impact her ability to run in the 2027 election.