Marine Le Pen to run for French presidency and appeal conviction

Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally party, declared in a combative primetime TV interview that she will be a candidate for the 2027 presidential election and will take her case to the Court of Cassation, France's top civil court, to overturn her conviction for misusing European Union funds.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Paris appeal court found Le Pen guilty of embezzling €2.8m (£2.4m) through a scheme of fake EU parliamentary jobs used to pay party staff between 2004 and 2016. The court sentenced her to a year of electronic tagging but ruled she could still stand for the presidency while wearing the tag. Public prosecutors have also said they will appeal the verdict.

Le Pen insisted she is innocent and will pursue all legal avenues. "I can't campaign with a tag," she said, adding that her campaign will start immediately to "begin the rebirth of France." She ruled out any scenario of not running, saying: "No, there isn't. I am here tonight to tell you I am candidate for the 2027 elections." She admitted the scheme was a "mistake" but denied organizing it.

The announcement ends speculation that Le Pen might hand the candidacy to Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old party president. She stated they have a solid partnership, proposing herself as president and Bardella as prime minister if elected. The Court of Cassation is likely to make a decision in a few months. If it upholds the verdict, Le Pen may have to wear an electronic tag during the election campaign, which could be both embarrassing and a handicap just months before the first round of voting in April and May 2027.