Bomb court on marine le -pene

Unlock Digest Editor free

Halef’s roller, FT editor chooses his favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Opening the judges for being too soft for criminals is the main product for French politicians. On Monday, they needed another line of attack. The Paris Criminal Court imposed the most severe punishment that their leader, Marin Le Pen, was possible for theft of EU funds. Le Pen was sentenced to two years in prison – or at least Five years. Despite the fact that it is appealing, the ban seriously endorsed the candidacy of Le Pen in the 2027 presidential election – which would become her fourth application to the Ellis Palace and probably the most favorable.

Le PenAllies attacked a tough sentence as flamboyant court exceeds. The court not only “unfairly” condemned the leader of the National Party Rassemblement, but also the “shot” French democracy, nominated its deputy Jordan Bardel. Candidates -populist leaders across Europe. The Kremlin was confused about the erosion of democratic standards. It is more surprising that even some of Le Pen’s most unwavering political enemies were convicted by the court for depriving voters the right to choose.

The court, however, did its work on supporting the rules of conduct in the chosen position. EU authorities and French began to investigate claims about the theft of pH ten years ago. Prosecutors gathered extensive evidence that nine former legislators and their assistants deliberately and systematically abused more than 4 million euros in the funds of the European Parliament for French political activity. Le Pen played a central role in fraud in 2009 The court is found. Politicians from the Central Modem Party have previously been convicted of similar crimes.

The question is whether the ban on Le Pen from the upcoming elections, even if its appeal is a fair punishment. It wasn’t automatically. After removing the court verdict, Judge’s chairman Benedict de Piepis noted that the verdict should be proportionate. Considering Le Pen’s role in fraud, to distort the electoral policy in favor of her party, the judge concluded that it was. She also legitimately claimed that it would undermine the rule of law if Le Pen would avoid punishment by winning the presidency, after which the courts would be reluctant to support the verdict. In fact, the court decided that the rights of all French voters to unprepared elections exceed the right to the subsidiary in order to vote for a particular candidate.

However, political consequences Carousing le Pena can be far away. She probably imitates Donald Trump, presenting herself as a sacrifice of the conspiracy of the institution, hoping to dismiss her supporters and defeat other voters who were bored with President Emanuel Macron and the main parties. The Trump administration may well lead to France for the reduction of democratic rights, as well as Romania with the exception of far -right presidential candidate. But, unlike the Romanian case, Le Pen was convicted by a court.

Le Pen can set aside a revenge by knocking down the minority led by centrista François bayrou. As a leader of the modem, he was justified by participation in the EP party financing, but the prosecutor’s office appeals the decision. Even if Le Pena’s legal appeals fail, the pH can still intensify with the brothel. The smooth communicator lacks Le Pen’s experience, but her recording about the failures of the presidential campaign.

The disqualification of Le Pen will make the French policy more combustible. But this is not the task of the court to make political decisions anyway. What is accused of this shows how far respect for the rule of law as a fundamental principle of democracy was weakened in the West.