Paris Shows Solidarity with Marine Le Pen: A Major Demonstration of Support Held 

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French right, has been disqualified from running in the French presidential elections as a result of a court ruling. This decision has provoked a significant outcry among supporters of the National Rally (Rassemblement National). Yesterday (April 6), a large-scale protest took place in Paris.

Le Pen Barred from Candidacy

As previously reported, a Paris court found Marine Le Pen, head of the RN’s parliamentary group, guilty in a case concerning the fictitious employment of parliamentary assistants affiliated with her party in the European Parliament. Le Pen was fined €100,000.

The politician was also sentenced to four years of imprisonment, two of which are suspended. However, this part of the sentence is not to be executed immediately. The court’s ruling on the immediate enforceability of the penalty implies that the ban remains in effect even if an appeal is lodged—i.e., filing an appeal does not suspend the execution of the sentence.

In addition, the Paris court imposed a ban on Le Pen and the other defendants from participating in elections within France and from holding public office for a period of five years. The French Constitutional Council has confirmed that a first-instance court ruling may already serve as grounds for exclusion from electoral candidacy in the country.

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French Citizens Protest

The court’s decision was met with widespread dissent among the French public, many of whom viewed Le Pen as the leading contender in the upcoming presidential election.

Social media has been inundated with photographs and videos documenting the high turnout at today’s solidarity demonstration in Paris, organized in support of the French politician.

Le Pen herself was present at the protest, where she joined the assembled crowd in singing the French national anthem.