Marine Le Pen, who played her cards right by deciding to be a candidate in the presidential election in France despite her conviction on appeal, launched her campaign on Wednesday with a stormy first trip, proclaiming her “innocence” in the face of criticism from her opponents.
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The leader of the National Rally (RN, far right) arrived in the morning at a market in La Flèche (center), a town led since March by her party.
She is accompanied by Jordan Bardella, who was to replace her in the event of an incapacity and will be her prime minister if she wins the 2027 presidential election.
“I am delighted that Marine can wear our colors,” he told the press, assuring that he did not feel any “disappointment”.
“We are both entering this presidential campaign,” declared the now four-time candidate, all smiles. “The court of appeal restored my eligibility,” she rejoiced, reaffirming that she is “innocent” of the facts with which she is accused.
On Tuesday, Ms. Le Pen shook up the course of the campaign by announcing her candidacy for the presidential election, a few hours after the ruling of the Paris Court of Appeal confirming her conviction in the European parliamentary assistants case.
The reduction of his ineligibility to 45 months, 30 of which are suspended, allows him to apply. She was also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, including one year under an electronic bracelet, but assured that she would campaign “without” by appealing to the Court of Cassation, because this final appeal suspends the execution of her sentence.
The Court of Cassation, which generally takes a year to rule, indicated that it “could” do so “at the beginning of April 2027 at the latest”, while the first round of the presidential election must be held on April 18, 2027.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally (RN, far right)
AFP
“A citizen who uses her rights”
Several dozen demonstrators who came to welcome him at La Flèche, some of whom waving La France insoumise (radical left) flags, proclaimed “no delinquents in government”, carrying signs “Le Pen condemned” and “dirty hands, heads down”.
His supporters tried to make themselves heard by applauding him and shouting “President Marine!” “.
By launching despite her conviction, Ms. Le Pen, who had in the past called for “lifetime” ineligibility for politicians convicted of such acts, exposes herself to criticism from her adversaries.
“I am not playing for time, I am a citizen who uses her rights,” she proclaimed on Wednesday.
It is difficult to predict, for the moment, the reception voters will give him.
There may be an “effect of comforting the base” because “its supporters will say to themselves: + what determination +”, pollster Brice Teinturier (Ipsos-BVA) told AFP. But “I believe that business always deteriorates,” he added.
According to an Elabe poll, 6 out of 10 French people disapprove of her decision to run, while another carried out by Odoxa gives a closer result with 51% of those questioned who believe that she is right to enter the race.
The court of appeal on Tuesday declared Marine Le Pen, the National Rally and ten other people guilty of setting up an “organization” to pay as parliamentary assistants to MEPs people who actually worked for the party.
On the disputed contracts of parliamentary assistants before it, the court of appeal calculated the total damage to the European Parliament at 2.8 million euros between 2004 and 2016.
