Marine Le Pen Launches Court Appeal to Salvage 2027 Presidential Bid. Marine Le Pen began a crucial court appeal on Tuesday that will determine whether she can run in France’s 2027 presidential election despite a five-year ban. The ban was imposed after Le Pen was convicted last year of embezzling European Parliament funds, preventing her from succeeding President Emmanuel Macron. The appeal, expected to last a month with a verdict due in the summer, will focus on legal technicalities and claims that the punishment was disproportionate, rather than political persecution. If the ban is upheld, the National Rally’s alternative candidate, party leader Jordan Bardella, is widely seen as the likely standard-bearer for the far right. Recent polls from Ipsos and Odoxa showed Bardella overtaking Le Pen in popularity and winning both rounds of a hypothetical presidential election. Le Pen and 24 co-defendants were accused of using EU parliamentary funds to pay party staff who allegedly did little or no parliamentary work. Lawyers are now planning a more cautious, case-by-case appeal strategy after what party insiders admit was a misjudged and overly politicized defense during the initial trial. The ruling could reshape French politics: if Le Pen fails, her presidential ambitions may end, while a Bardella victory could trigger far-reaching consequences for France’s political and judicial landscape.