French far-right leader, Jordan Bardella, has accused the authorities of working to prevent his National Rally (RN) party from gaining power after his political mentor, Marine Le Pen, was handed a five-year ban from running for office.
This follows a conviction related to accusations of fraudulently creating fake jobs within the European Parliament.
Le Pen’s Conviction and Consequences
On Monday, Marine Le Pen was found guilty of misusing European Union funds to employ assistants who, in reality, worked for her political party in France.
As a result of the verdict, she was banned from holding public office for five years and sentenced to four years in prison, though half of the sentence was suspended, and she will serve the remaining time with an electronic tag.
Le Pen, along with 23 others, including party officials and assistants, were convicted of these charges.
Despite the ruling, Le Pen has vowed to fight the decision, which would hinder her aspirations of running for the French presidency in 2027.
Bardella’s Strong Reactions and Defense of Democracy
Jordan Bardella, a prominent figure within the RN and Le Pen’s protégé, expressed his frustration with the court’s decision, asserting that the ruling was an attack on French democracy.
In an interview with French media, he emphasized that this conviction wasn’t just an injustice against Le Pen but a blow to the democratic process in France.
Bardella criticized the French judiciary, calling it a “tyranny of the judges,” and vowed that the RN and its supporters would organize a peaceful protest over the weekend to challenge the ruling.
He also condemned the personal attacks on the judges, including death threats they reportedly received after the verdict.
International Support for Marine Le Pen
The conviction has garnered attention from right-wing politicians across Europe, with several expressing support for Le Pen. U.S.
President Donald Trump, drawing parallels with his own legal battles, called the ruling “very important” and noted that the ban against Le Pen seemed eerily similar to situations in the U.S.
Trump’s remarks highlight the shared sense of injustice felt by many right-wing figures who see these legal challenges as politically motivated.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while unsure about the specifics of the charges, voiced concern that the sentence undermined democracy by preventing millions of French voters from having their voice represented.
Similarly, Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the League party, accused the EU of waging a “declaration of war” against Le Pen, framing the sentence as part of a broader effort to silence political opposition in Europe.
Solidarity from Across Europe and Russia
The backlash against Le Pen’s conviction also extended to other European leaders.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban showed his support by posting a message of solidarity, “Je suis Marine” (“I am Marine”), mirroring the famous “Je suis Charlie” campaign following the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack.
Additionally, Russia’s Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, weighed in, criticizing the political situation in European capitals and expressing concern over the erosion of democratic norms in France.
French Prosecutors Defend Legal Decision
Despite the growing international criticism, Remy Heitz, one of France’s top public prosecutors, denied any political influence in the decision.
In a statement to RTL radio, Heitz clarified that the ruling was based purely on legal grounds and was delivered by three independent, impartial judges.
He further emphasized that the French justice system operates without political bias, maintaining that the conviction was not a political decision.
As the situation unfolds, the debate over whether the legal decisions against Marine Le Pen and the National Rally are politically motivated continues to rage both in France and abroad.