French Court Reduces Le Pen's Ban, Revives Her 2027 Presidential Bid

A Paris appeals court ruled July 7 that Marine Le Pen remains guilty of misusing public funds but cut her ban from office to 45 months—with 30 months suspended, creating an effective 15-month disqualification instead of five years. The ruling reverses the immediate block on her candidacy, freeing the National Rally to run her directly in 2027 rather than field successor Jordan Bardella.