Marine Le Pen excluded from elections for five years: a judgment with consequences
Political earthquakeBang, historical judgment: none of these descriptions is too strong for what in France was decided on Monday in a Paris courtyard, namely the exclusion of Marine Le Pen of elections in the next five years. Because their condemnation to the notisability immediately applies.
It is the premature and spectacular end of Le Pens ambitions to become President of France in 2027. The 56-year-old has already started three times, every time with better results. This was also a consequence of her strategy of the « demonization » of a party, which was once founded by former SS members, among other things, and which for a long time was a collecting basin for anti-Semites, racists and EU haters-first. Her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has now died.
Because, unlike him, she really strived to power, she no longer tolerated extreme positions or symbols for image reasons, but changed little to the program. The cosmetic change of course made her one of the most popular politicians in France and the RN the strongest opposition power.
For five years not clear: Paris court condemns Marine Le Pen
It is pure speculation as to whether she would have won in the 2027 elections – but that the judiciary denies this possibility, whirls the political situation in the country. With party leader Jordan Bardella, she built up a successor early on, but the 29-year-old has little experience despite his undeniable political talent. For everyone who wants a pro-European and cosmopolitan France, the exclusion of Le Pen is only partially good news. Because the judgment could develop in favor of her party. In the eyes of her followers, the right -wing populist becomes a martyr, sacrificed on the altar of a supposedly politically directed judiciary. At the same time, the ideology, which is based on the exclusion of immigrants and nationalist foreclosure, remains popular. It has to be refuted, in tedious persuasion.
Nevertheless, every criticism of the judgment of the court is inappropriate because it is based on facts. Marine Le Pen has deliberately adopted and continued a system of embezzlement of EU funds from her father and never showed remorse. For the proven offenses, the French law provides for the punishment of the uncleability that it has now received. Your guilty verdict is completely legitimate.
It is not a political judgment, even if this accusation has long been heard and the distrust of the judges’ work is still threatening to increase. But an independent judiciary is an indispensable mainstay of a democracy. The fact that Le Pen and CO question exactly this proves once again how dangerous they are for the country. It is all the more important to stick to it – with arguments, facts and values. This political struggle does not end with the exclusion of Le Pens from political life. He has to continue unabated.
