Marine Le Pen, who was sentenced last week for an embezzlement conviction, held a rally attended by thousands in protest of her sentence on Sunday, claiming that it was politically motivated.
“For 30 years, I have fought against injustice,” she told the crowd. “And I will continue to fight,” Le Pen shared with the supporters at Place Vauban square.
Le Pen, the deputy of the French National Embassy and former 2027 presidential candidate, was convicted of embezzling money intended for European Union parliamentary aides and paying staffers who engaged in political work for her on April 1. She has maintained her innocence, having appealed her guilty verdict. The court is expected to deliver its verdict in the summer of 2026. The timing of the court’s ruling will be crucial because, as part of the sentencing, Le Pen was barred from running for public office for five years. She was also sentenced to two years in prison and two on house arrest and given a fine of 100,000 euros.
Rallygoers Sunday reiterated her belief that the French justice system is biased and not to be trusted, a narrative peddled by the National Rally, Le Pen’s right-wing political party.
Jordan Bardella, President of National Rally, said Le Pen’s conviction was the work of “a system determined to crush dissent.”
“March 29 was a dark day for France,” Bardella said in his speech, referencing the date of Le Pen’s conviction. “The people must be free to choose their leaders — without interference from political judges.”
Protesters carried signs that read “Justice taking orders” and “Stop the judicial dictatorship.” Some even compared Le Pen and U.S. President Donald Trump’s conviction by wearing shirts that read “Trump can run – why not Marine?”
France’s left-wing parties organized a counterrally, warning that the National Rally party seeks to undermine France’s civic institutions and embrace authoritarianism.
“This is bigger than Marine Le Pen,” said Green Party leader Marine Tondelier. “It’s about defending the rule of law from people who think justice is optional.”
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Le Pen was the runner-up in the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, losing to French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron is ineligible to run in 2027 because of term limits.
Meanwhile, the National Rally has gained greater support, having gained the most seats in Parliament in last year’s election.
