Head Bowed, Hands Dirty
The verdict against Marine Le Pen sends shockwaves around Europe–and is a powerful message against corruption and the abuse of power.
The prominent French nationalist Marine Le Pen was today found guilty by the Paris Criminal Court of embezzling public funds. Specifically, Le Pen was accused of misappropriating resources from the European Parliament to pay party staff in France. Around 20 individuals from her close circle were also convicted, including eight Members of the European Parliament. The political impact is seismic: the frontrunner for the 2027 presidential election is, for now, out of the running. She has been prohibited from holding public office for five years, effective immediately, sentenced to four years in prison—two of which are suspended—and additionally fined €100,000.
Reacting to the verdict, Manon Aubry, co-chair of the Left group in the European Parliament, remarked that the far-right Rassemblement National’s (RN) long-used slogan “La tête haute, mains propres” (“Head held high, clean hands”) has now turned on its head: “tête basse, mains sales” (“Head bowed, dirty hands”).
Le Pen has announced her intention to appeal, while her party, the Rassemblement National, is portraying the ruling as a politically motivated attack. Yet, the anticipated claim that Le Pen is the victim of a conspiracy does not withstand serious scrutiny. She was convicted for a practice that has repeatedly ensnared French politicians: the misuse of state or EU funds to finance political party activities. There are notable precedents. For instance, François Fillon, the former presidential candidate of the conservative Les Républicains (LR), was found guilty of paying his wife a public salary for a job she never actually performed.
This ruling sends a crucial message, not only for France but for Europe as well: a politics grounded in deceit and self-enrichment to go unpunished. Democratic institutions, moreover, must act decisively against corruption and the abuse of power. Commenting the verdict, the French Communist Party (PCF) also emphasized that no one is above the law and that all must be treated equally—“un fondement inébranlable et la garantie de la démocratie” (“a steadfast foundation and the guarantee of democracy”).
At a time when far-right politicians and parties are attacking democratic institutions across Europe, this verdict is a clear statement: political actions must remain subject to democratic law, and a politician’s public profile must not serve as a licence for criminal behaviour. Like many other right-wing populist movements, the RN has sought to present itself as anti-establishment. The court’s decision now lays bare the hypocrisy of holding others to a standard they do not apply to themselves when personal gain is at stake.
Responses from Le Pen’s far-right allies were swift. On X, Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom (PVV) declared his “100% support” for Le Pen. Santiago Abascal of Spain’s far-right Vox party decried the ruling, claiming it would not “silence the voice of the French people.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán added simply: “Je suis Marine!”
While Marine Le Pen remains the public face of her party, it is now party president Jordan Bardell, who has garnered more support than his predecessor. Whether this verdict will ultimately undermine the RN’s influence in the long run, however, remains to be seen.
Anna Schröder heads the Brussels office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.