Far-right French leader Le Pen able to run in next presidential election after court ruling

A French appeals court has cleared the way for Marine Le Pen to run in the 2027 presidential election - but with an electronic tag.

The far-right leader was found guilty of misappropriating public funds by a court last March.

Her political future had been on the line today as a Paris appeals court ruled on her eligibility for the next election.

She received a five-year ban ​from public office in March 2025 for embezzling more than €4m (£3.4m) from the European Parliament.

Judges upheld the earlier court judgement that she was guilty of misappropriating EU funds and ruled she is ineligible to hold public office for 45 months, but suspended this for 30 months.

While that ruling clears the way for Le Pen to run in the 2027 presidential election, the court also sentenced her to a three-year jail term: two suspended and one ​with an electronic ankle tag.

So while it will not prevent her from entering the race for France's highest office, it would make any campaign politically and logistically difficult.

Le Pen left the courtroom without speaking to journalists and her lawyers said she would reflect upon the verdict.

She has previously said she would be reluctant to campaign for the presidency while serving a sentence under electronic monitoring.

(c) Sky News 2026: Far-right French leader Le Pen able to run in next presidential election after court ruling