Marine Le Pen 2027 Presidential Election Eligibility Hinges on High-Stakes Appeal

The courtroom doors have opened, and the path to the Élysée Palace may be closing. Marine Le Pen, the figurehead of the French far-right, begins a crucial appeal today, January 13, 2026, in a case that will determine her Marine Le Pen 2027 presidential election eligibility.

The Legal Battle Over €2.9 Million in EU Funds

The case centers on allegations of systemic embezzlement. According to the BBC, Le Pen and other senior members of the National Rally (RN) were found guilty last year of using €2.9 million in European Parliament funds to pay party staff. The original ruling handed Le Pen a five-year ban from public office, which would effectively block her from the 2027 race.

Le Pen maintains she hasn't committed "the slightest irregularity." Meanwhile, Jordan Bardella, President of the RN, called the prospect of her exclusion "deeply worrying for democracy." If the ban is upheld, Bardella has indicated he would run for Prime Minister, leaving the top spot to be decided under a contingency plan.

Timeline and Possible Judicial Outcomes

Observers suggest four potential paths: an acquittal that clears her path entirely; a guilty verdict without the "immediate effect" clause, allowing a further appeal to the Court of Cassation; a shortened ban; or a full upholding of the lower court's decision, which would likely end her presidential ambitions for 2027.