Paris court clears Marine Le Pen for presidential run — but orders electronic tag she rejects as 'impossible' in gut-wrenching verdict

7 July 2026 | Paris, France — Updated 14:30 GMT

It's an intriguing verdict: the court has ruled Marine Le Pen eligible to run in next year's presidential elections by in effect reducing her term of ineligibility for public office to just 15 months — but at the same time it has ensured it will be very difficult for her to do so by ordering her to wear an electronic bracelet for one year, something she has repeatedly said she will not do.

The judge confirmed Le Pen is guilty of misusing public funds, but changed her ineligibility to hold public office to 45 months, with 30 months suspended. This means theoretically she could run in the election. However, she will also get a three-year jail sentence with two years suspended and one year of wearing an electronic tag, and a €100,000 fine.

Le Pen has previously repeatedly said she would not run if she would have to wear an electronic bracelet during the campaign. "If I'm allowed to be a candidate but am effectively prevented from campaigning freely, then you understand that wouldn't be possible," Le Pen said in an interview last week.

Welcome to the latest from French politics — where Marine Le Pen's political future hangs in the balance.

Intriguing Verdict Poses Gut-Wrenching Personal Dilemma for Le Pen

It's an intriguing verdict: the court has ruled Marine Le Pen eligible to run in next year's presidential elections by in effect reducing her term of ineligibility for public office to just 15 months – but at the same time it has ensured it will be very difficult for her to do so by ordering her to wear an electronic bracelet for one year, something she has repeatedly said she will not do.

It is understood that several senior party members have tried to persuade her to run anyway, but – so far at least – she has refused.

It would obviously be a gut-wrenching personal decision for her to stand aside: transforming the National Rally from a fringe extremist group to the largest single party in parliament has been pretty much her life's work, and this would have been her fourth tilt at the presidency.

But the decision may be made easier by the fact that Jordan Bardella, her protégé, is polling even higher than her – and she would be able to act as his closest adviser on the campaign trail.

Le Pen En Route to Party HQ for Political Talks on Her Future

For what it's worth, after leaving the court, Le Pen is now en route to her party's HQ now, followed by what looks like gazillion of reporters, cameras and photographers on mopeds.

The party's president and a potential back-up presidential candidate Jordan Bardella is believed to be there, so the pair will no doubt want to discuss their next steps.

Le Pen has now arrived at the RN's HQ in 16th arrondissement and is now believed to be meeting with Jordan Bardella and their closest aides to decide on the next steps.

Le Pen's lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut gives only a very general response to the ruling, noting the shift in the court's approach, including the issue of eligibility to run in the 2027 election, which "is an extremely important point."

"We are considering the decision as a whole," he says, with more to be said on this later. But he says he is "partially" happy with the verdict, calling it a "good start." But we are not an inch closer to knowing what Le Pen's will do next.

Details of Le Pen's Tag Monitoring to Be Decided at a Later Date

In terms of process, a different judge will consider at a later date the exact workings of any electronic tag or monitoring for Le Pen. The tag requirement could make any potential presidential campaign politically and logistically difficult.

For what it's worth, she has previously repeatedly said she would not run if she would have to wear an electronic bracelet during the campaign.

Macron Declines to Comment on Le Pen Ruling: 'What Is Healthy for Democracy Is That the President Does Not Speak About Judicial Decisions'

France's Emmanuel Macron has just been asked about his response to the ruling as a joint press conference with Syria's president Ahmed al-Sharaa. But he doesn't take the bait when asked if the ruling is "healthy for democracy."

He says: "What is healthy for democracy is that the president of the Republic does not speak about judicial decisions. Therefore, I will adhere to this principle, especially abroad."

Snap Analysis: A Gut-Wrenching Personal Dilemma for Le Pen

It's an intriguing verdict: the court has ruled Marine Le Pen eligible to run in next year's presidential elections by in effect reducing her term of ineligibility for public office to just 15 months – but at the same time it has ensured it will be very difficult for her to to do so by ordering her to wear an electronic bracelet for one year, something she has repeatedly said she will not do.

It is understood that several senior party members have tried to persuade her to run anyway, but – so far at least – she has refused.

It would obviously be a gut-wrenching personal decision for her to stand aside: transforming the National Rally from a fringe extremist group to the largest single party in parliament has been pretty much her life's work, and this would have been her fourth tilt at the presidency.

But the decision may be made easier by the fact that Jordan Bardella, her protege, is polling even higher than her – and she would be able to act as his closest adviser on the campaign trail.

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