Marine Le Pen is already launching her 2027 campaign: a first poster to confirm her return to the race

Marine Le Pen has officially launched her presidential campaign. The day after the Paris Court of Appeal's ruling in the case of the National Front's European parliamentary assistants, the leader of the National Rally party announced her intention to look ahead to 2027 with her first campaign poster. The political message is clear: despite her conviction, she intends to remain in the presidential race. Invited to TF1's 20 p.m. news program on Tuesday evening, Marine Le Pen confirmed that she would indeed be a candidate in the next presidential election. She summarized her position with a statement designed to put an end to the remaining uncertainty surrounding her political future: "There is no longer any scenario in which I cannot run in 2027."

The appeals court is giving him a political window of opportunity.

The Paris Court of Appeal's decision did not overturn Marine Le Pen's conviction, but it does allow her to retain a major political asset: the ability to remain a candidate in the presidential election. In this case, the National Rally (RN) politician was convicted on appeal, but the current legal framework does not prevent her, at this stage, from running in 2027. Marine Le Pen has announced her intention to appeal to the Court of Cassation. This appeal to the highest court in the judicial system does not entirely retry the case on its merits, but it allows her to challenge the decision on legal grounds. It also has a very concrete and immediate effect for her: it suspends the execution of the sentence handed down on appeal while the Court of Cassation deliberates.

The electronic bracelet rejected by the appeal

Without this appeal to the Court of Cassation, Marine Le Pen would have had to meet with a judge responsible for the enforcement of sentences in the coming weeks. This step was intended to determine the specific terms of her suspended sentence, including the wearing of an electronic tag. The appeal therefore changes the timeline. By appealing to the Court of Cassation, Marine Le Pen gains time and retains her freedom of movement for the coming months. She can continue her political activities, organize her campaign, increase her public appearances, and continue to publicly contest her conviction.

Marine Le Pen proclaims her innocence

On TF1, the president of the National Rally group in the National Assembly insisted on her innocence and presented her appeal as a necessary step. She stated: "My hands are clean, and I am appealing to the Court of Cassation to prove it. I believe that two courts could make a mistake. I want to pursue all available legal avenues to defend my innocence in this case." This line of defense has now become a central element of her campaign. Marine Le Pen is not content with simply announcing her candidacy: she intends to transform the legal proceedings into a political argument, presenting herself as a candidate who is pursuing her fight in court while simultaneously claiming the right to seek the voters' support.

A fourth presidential election has officially begun.

Marine Le Pen is thus heading towards a fourth presidential candidacy, after those of 2012, 2017, and 2022. The first poster unveiled marks the launch of a new phase for the National Rally, which now aims to establish its candidate for the long term despite the burden of the legal proceedings. By already displaying her ambitions for 2027, Marine Le Pen seeks to regain the initiative. The Court of Appeal's decision upheld the conviction, but it did not close the door to her candidacy. The appeal to the Court of Cassation gives her time, suspends the most immediate consequences of the sentence, and allows her to enter the campaign with a simple message: she will indeed be in the race for the Élysée Palace.