Far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, of the National Rally of the French nation, officially  announced her candidacy for the next presidential elections in 2027 on Tuesday.

The confirmation clears up months of speculation about her political future, and comes after she tried and tried to get the country’s top job four times. The announcement came after a huge ruling of the Paris appeals court.

The court upheld earlier in the day Le Pen’s conviction for embezzlement of money received from the European Parliament. She was convicted of a fake jobs scheme, which used more than 2.8 million euros ($3 million) of EU money between 2004 and 2016.

The 57-year-old veteran politician was sentenced to a 15-month ban on holding public office by the appeals court. It also imposed a one-year house arrest, which would involve wearing an electronic tag.

During a news broadcast at the end of the day, however, Le Pen announced she would appeal the conviction to the Court of Cassation, France’s top judicial body.

A High-Stakes Appeal Suspending the Campaign Ban

The recent judgment’s impact on the proceedings is automatically stayed by filing an appeal with the highest court. Le Pen explained the legal maneuver will enable her to campaign freely, without an electronic ankle bracelet.

She was previously sentenced to a five-year ban on public office in March 2025, by a lower court. At the time, that decision posed a heavy risk for her presidential ambitions for the next national elections when she will compete with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The new shortened 15-month prohibition was retroactive to March 2025, thus aiding in its cancellation for this year. This created a potential avenue for her to be a candidate in April and May 2027 elections.

Her political allies, such as 30-year-old party lieutenant Jordan Bardella, have been steadfastly backing her big role. In addition, party vice-president Louis Aliot was also handed a suspended sentence, which meant that he could continue to serve as mayor of Perpignan.

Her political opponents have been very critical, although her fans were singing her praises in places such as Henin-Beaumont. Socialist Party’s top man Olivier Faure said that any candidate for president should be ‘paradigmatic’ and added that Le Pen should ‘have to listen to her conscience’.

Presiding judge Michèle Agi recorded the seriousness of the crimes, stressing the pivotal part played by Le Pen in the long-running financial scheme. In the meantime, President Macron, who is visiting Syria on a state visit, refused to comment on the judicial decisions.

This video is relevant because it gives additional context and news coverage of Marine Le Pen’s recent conviction appeal and her official campaign launch for the French presidency in 2027.