On Monday, the Paris Court of Appeal ruled that the trial of Marine Le Pen and other representatives of the National Assembly (RN) for embezzlement of EU funds will begin on January 13, 2026.
The prosecutor had proposed that the trial begin before the local elections in March 2026 in order to avoid influencing the election campaign. The court agreed with his proposal.
The trial is expected to last about five weeks, with the verdict to be handed down before the summer. The timing is crucial, as the original March verdict barred Le Pen from running for office for five years, which would prevent her from participating in the 2027 presidential election.
Le Pen was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which were suspended, and was also fined €100,000.
The decision on the appeal came at a time when French Prime Minister François Bayrou is almost certain to suffer defeat in a closely watched confidence vote on Monday. The opposition refuses to support his plan to consolidate public finances. He has just linked this to the confidence vote.
(reuters, max)