French court finds far-right leader Le Pen guilty of embezzlement 

A French court has found far-right leader Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzling European Union funds.

The Paris court ruled that Le Pen used use over 3 million euros ($3.3 million) intended for MEP aides to pay members of her National Rally party instead. The ruling threatens to push the nationalist out of the 2027 race for the presidency, in which she is currently front runner, according to opinion polls.

The court’s sentence, set to be announced immediately, could see Le Pen declared ineligible to run for office. She has accused prosecutors of seeking her “political death”. A jail sentence and heavy financial penalty are also possible.

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