The leader of the French far-right, Marine Le Pen, has been found guilty of misusing public funds by a French court. Her sentence includes a five-year ban from running for public office, effective immediately, meaning she will not be able to participate in the upcoming elections.

Additionally, she was given a four-year prison sentence (with two years suspended and two years under house arrest with an electronic bracelet), as well as a €100,000 fine. After the verdict was announced, Le Pen left the courtroom visibly displeased, before hearing the details of the consequences of her conviction.

Meanwhile, eight MEPs from her party were found guilty of embezzling €474,000, while 12 of their aides were convicted of receiving illegal benefits. All of them have been stripped of the right to run for elected office in the future.

NOTE: A question arises regarding the asymmetry in justice: the former head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, had been convicted in the past for a similar offense but faced no penalty before moving to the European Central Bank.