As a “very good news”, Marine Le Pen described the announcement of the responsible appeal court in Paris about an accelerated appeal procedure. The Court of Appeals said in a communiqué in a communiqué “within deadlines that enable a decision in summer 2026”. According to lawyers, this means that the appeal process could take place at the beginning of 2026.
In the event of an acquittal in second instance, this would enable Le Pen to compete in the presidential elections in spring 2027. However, if the appellate court confirms the judgment, the withdrawal of the passive right of voting would remain in force.
Le Pen was sentenced to a prison sentence of four years in the first instance on Monday due to the embezzlement of public funds, two of them on probation. The prison sentence can be served with an electronic ankle bracelet. In addition, it was sentenced to a fine of 100,000 euros. The side penalty, the withdrawal of the passive right to vote for five years, was carried out with immediate effect. Le Pen retains her mandate and can continue to exercise parliamentary group, but may not run for an election office in the next five years.
Lawsuit at the Supreme Court
According to her own words, the 56 -year -old right -wing populist also called the Constitutional Council, a Colonel court comparable to the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. Le Pen made use of the opportunity to contact the high court with a so -called primary constitutional question. She complains of “incompatibility of a decision on the uncleability with immediate enforcement with the freedom of voters anchored in the constitution.”
Le Pen surprisingly supported the controversial new constitutional council president Richard Ferrand in the parliamentary confirmation process. The former socialist and confidante of President Emmanuel Macron was extremely scarce in mid -February. At that time rumors arose that Le Pen wanted to secure the benevolence of the constitutional council with her approval.
The group leader of the LFI Left Party, Mathilde Panot, claimed that Le Pen had closed a “secret pact” with Ferrand. Ferrand received 58 votes against in the vote in the legal committees of the National Assembly and the Senate, and his nomination would have failed in 59 votes against.
Le Pen also called the European Court of Human Rights for “interim legal protection”. She claimed that the judgment “causes a non -resolving damage”. In the past, Le Pen had always had harsh criticism at the European Court of Human Rights and announced that in the event of its election victory, France would no longer follow the case law in the asylum and immigration question.
A “atomic bomb” against Le Pen?
For this Sunday, the racial emblem has announced national protests against the “refusal to democracy” on the Place Vauban behind the disability. Le Pen repeatedly complained about a “tyranny of the judges” and claimed at a press conference that “the judicial system” grabbed the “atomic bomb” to destroy it. She added: “If it uses such a powerful weapon against us, obviously because we are about to win elections.”
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin took on judges and prosecutors against the attacks. “In a democratic constitutional state, criticism of a court decision must never comment in threats to judges,” he said. The presiding judge Bénédicte de Perthuis was showered with murder threats on social networks, and her private address was also revealed. Personal protection also had to be increased for the prosecutors.
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou also said that he “unconditionally” supported the judges and prosecutors. “The decision was made according to a fair procedure, a two -month contradictory debate and a year -long examination,” said the Attorney General at the Court of Court, Rémy Heitz. He spoke of “unacceptable statements” and an attack on the basics of the rule of law. The top council of the magistrature (CSM), the supervisory authority of the judges and prosecutors, expressed “concern” in a communiqué. Personal threats to judges are not acceptable in a democratic society. “Anyone who attacks the judiciary attacks the foundations of our democracy,” warned the presiding judge of the Court Court, Christophe Soulard.
The right MP Eric Ciotti, an RN alliance partner, announced a legislative proposal to abolish the impossibility of impartiality with immediate enforcement. It is about abolishing this form of “political death penalty”, said Ciotti.
