Marine Le Pen sentenced: prison sentence and call for protests!

Marine Le Pen sentenced: prison sentence and call for protests!

Marine Le Pen, the former leader of the right-wing populist Rassemblement National (RN), had to endure a groundbreaking, albeit controversial, verdict on April 1, 2025. Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis declared that Le Pen had embezzled over four million euros in EU funds, resulting in a four-year prison sentence. Of these, two years are on probation and two years are under house arrest. In addition, Le Pen must pay a fine of 100,000 euros and can no longer hold public office. In an initial reaction, Le Pen announced that she would appeal because she sees the verdict as politically motivated.

The decision caused significant waves and mobilized nationwide protests led by party leader Jordan Bardella. In his speech, Bardella emphasized that the French should be outraged by the verdict and called on his supporters to demonstrate. Rémy Heitz, the prosecutor of the Court of Cassation, defended the judicial integrity of the verdict, while the presiding judge has since been under police protection due to threats.

Political reactions and solidarity

The reactions to the verdict are diverse and come from both the German and the international political spectrum. Éric Ciotti, a conservative MP, called the verdict an “unworthy judicial conspiracy.” Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the left-wing populist party La France insoumise, is also calling for a referendum on dismissal. Le Pen even receives support from the highest levels: Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán express their solidarity with the right-wing populist leader.

In the international context, the situation is seen as worrying by the US government, while Donald Trump draws parallels with his own legal battles. The Kremlin also expressed concern about the violation of democratic norms in Europe, but described the ruling as an internal matter for France.

Le Pen's international connections

Marine Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, already had historic ties to Russia dating back to 1968, when he welcomed Russian nationalist painter Ilya Glazunov. This tradition continues with Marine Le Pen, who promotes pro-Russian policies and met with Vladimir Putin in 2017 to gain international recognition. These ties between the French right and Russia are not only political, but also financial: Le Pen received a €9 million loan from Russia for her 2017 presidential campaign, while Jean-Marie Le Pen received €2 million from a Cypriot company allegedly linked to a former KGB agent.

The historical and ideological connections between the Rassemblement National and Russia are deep-rooted and reflected in shared values, such as an emphasis on political and cultural sovereignty and resistance to globalization. This mutual support could be beneficial for Russia as support for Moscow declines in Europe.

The conviction of Le Pen and the protests that followed are attracting attention not only in France but also across Europe. They raise fundamental questions about democracy, jurisprudence and the threat to political diversity. Political developments in France could have far-reaching consequences, both for the country itself and for the European right as a whole.