Marine Le Pen stripped of her parliamentary seat in the northern region of Pas-de-Calais

AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS

A French court today stripped opposition leader Marine Le Pen of her parliamentary seat in the northern region of Pas-de-Calais after she was found guilty of embezzlement of public funds.

Although the Lille court ruling has little impact on Le Pen’s national popularity or her parliamentary seat, it is another reminder of how her legal troubles are affecting her political career.

The far-right leader and 24 others were found guilty in March of misusing four million euros in European Parliament funds to illegally finance party activities.

Defendants in France usually have their sentences suspended after they appeal their convictions and then revert to the presumption of innocence. However, prosecutors in Le Pen's case argued – and the judges agreed – that her violation of the law was so serious that she should be banned from running for public office immediately, regardless of whether she appeals.

Le Pen appealed the decision and a ruling in that case is expected by the summer of 2026, but the chances of the Court of Appeal overturning it are slim, according to Politiko.

The leader of the National Rally announced that she would also appeal today's decision by the Lille court, which means that the ruling will be suspended and that she will retain her mandate as a regional councilor until the second-instance court decides.