Controversy rages after French far-right leader Le Pen is banned from running

"To be clear, I was disqualified, but in reality, millions of French people were disqualified," Le Pen told TF1 television in an interview. She added that if she successfully overturned the ruling in time, she would run for president.

Earlier on Monday, a French court banned French far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running for president in 2027 after she was convicted of embezzlement, in a ruling that has heightened tensions over judicial efforts to control politics.

Judge Benedicte de Perthuis said Ms Le Pen was "at the centre" of a conspiracy to embezzle more than €4m in EU funds and use the money to pay the far-right party's staff at home.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Photo: X/LePen

Ms Le Pen, 56, leader of the National Front (RN) party, is one of the most prominent figures on the European far right and is the leading candidate in opinion polls for France's 2027 election.

The ruling could have far-reaching implications for French politics, upending the race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron and adding further pressure to his minority government, already weakened by months of crisis.

It is also likely to exacerbate growing anger globally among right-wing leaders about unelected judges interfering in elections and politics.

"Tonight, millions of French people are outraged, in an unimaginable rage, to see in France, a country that values ​​human rights, judges applying measures that we once thought were reserved for dictatorships," Ms. Le Pen said.

As well as being banned from holding public office and running for office, she also received a four-year prison sentence – two of which were suspended and two years under house arrest – and a €100,000 fine, but these will not be imposed until her appeal is over.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who has led calls for the impeachment of US judges who blocked President Donald Trump's agenda, has alleged a government conspiracy behind Ms Le Pen's removal.

“When the radical left cannot win through democratic voting, they abuse the legal system to imprison their opponents,” he wrote on X. “This is their standard tactic all over the world.”

Ms Le Pen's allies, as well as far-right leaders from Europe and around the world, have joined in condemning the ruling as an abuse of judicial power.

"Today, it is not only Marine Le Pen who was wrongly convicted: French democracy was also killed," said RN Party leader Jordan Bardella.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is also banned from holding office until 2030, said Ms Le Pen's sentence was "left-wing judicial activism".

Hoang Huy (according to TF1, France24, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tranh-cai-gay-gat-sau-khi-lanh-dao-cuc-huu-phap-le-pen-bi-cam-tranh-cu-post340917.html