• Despite a 5-year ban on her holding political office, Marine's Le Pen's conviction does not have the French left wing 'rejoicing,' says journalist Diane de Vignemont
• After the corruption verdict against Le Pen, the far right 'may seek to present themselves as martyrs in the eyes of voters, and that is precisely what is likely to happen,' Georgios Samaras, lecturer in public policy at King’s College London, tells Anadolu

ISTANBUL

Days after a Paris court potentially torpedoed her dream of becoming France’s next leader, Marine Le Pen had her own accusations against the judges that made the ruling.

“It’s time to stop blaming us for criticizing a legal decision. It’s not a legal decision, it’s a political decision,” the far-right figurehead told thousands of supporters in Paris on Sunday, railing against the embezzlement conviction that carries a four-year sentence — two suspended and two under house arrest.

But the real shock came in the form of an immediate five-year ban from running for public office in what could cost Le Pen her candidacy in the next presidential race scheduled for 2027, prompting her to call the conviction a “political manhunt” and a “witch hunt” that has “trampled upon” the rule of law and democracy.

“I will not back down,” Le Pen declared at the rally. “I continue to believe that politics is not what some would make it into — a perverse game of persecuting opponents, criminalizing adversaries, and seeking to ruin opposition parties, with the sole goal of holding on to power while leading the country into ruin and chaos,” she said.

Le Pen was found guilty of embezzling nearly €4 million (nearly $4.4 billion) in EU funds by creating fictitious jobs for party members.

However, it seems even the left might be disappointed, if Le Pen and her supporters succeed in framing the conviction as a political vendetta, turning into a source of public sympathy.

“Left-wing politicians have not been rejoicing,” an independent journalist Diane de Vignemont told Anadolu.

“They’re a bit worried about the fact that this might just end up being really, really positive for the far right,” explained De Vignemont, who specializes in French politics.

Some on the French left are now worried because Le Pen is portraying herself not as a politician convicted of corruption but as a victim of judicial overreach.

Le Pen herself denounced the court’s decision as a “political verdict,” invoking the now-familiar refrain of a “tyranny of judges,” rhetoric borrowed from the playbooks of Donald Trump and Viktor Orban.

“This anti-judge sentiment is very much spreading across the country,” De Vignemont stressed.

“It worked in the US. It worked in Hungary, and it’s really starting to work in France,” she added.

She further added that the consequences of Le Pen’s conviction are unlikely to be “good” for the left camp in France.

De Vignemont believes that despite her legal predicament, Le Pen’s influence over the National Rally (RN) party remains intact.

“She has a heavy hand in everything regarding the party. She brought up Jordan Bardella, her successor, herself,” she explained.

“A lot of members of the party refer to themselves as ‘Marinists,’ as in loyal to Marine,” she added.  

Jorden Bardella: France’s next far-right front-runner?

Le Pen’s conviction appears to have accelerated the rise of Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old RN party leader and Le Pen’s political protege.

Though he may be thrust into the presidential spotlight in Le Pen’s place, questions remain about whether he is ready for the role.

“A lot of people think that he might be social media savvy and he might be very charismatic, but he's not ready to run for national office to present France internationally,” De Vignemont said.

Still, the far right could benefit from moving beyond the Le Pen name, which remains closely associated with the controversial legacy of Marine’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, a convicted Holocaust denier and former Nazi collaborator, she said.

“If they can distance themselves from that name, and if they can use the martyr, the rhetoric of Marine Le Pen having been targeted politically, then they might be all the stronger for them,” she added.

The reverberations are already being felt well beyond France.

Within hours of the verdict, leading voices from Europe’s far right, from heads of government like Hungary’s Viktor Orban to Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, issued statements of support, presenting Le Pen as a victim of institutional repression.

“What we saw was very much like a joint reaction of this international reactionary — every single one of them jumping in to defend Marine Le Pen,” De Vignemont noted.  

Far-right ‘martyrs’

While Le Pen has been legally sidelined, her influence remains deeply embedded in the RN’s structure.

“This development dramatically alters the political landscape, yet she can still take decisive measures by employing Bardella to lead the National Rally,” Georgios Samaras, lecturer in public policy at King’s College London, told Anadolu.

Samaras also underscored the strategic narrative unfolding in RN’s messaging.

“They seek to present themselves as martyrs in the eyes of voters, and that is precisely what is likely to happen. It does not undermine the effort in any way,” he said.

He added that the spotlight is unlikely to shift beyond RN’s inner circle.

“I do not believe any far-right figures other than Bardella can benefit from this. The focus will remain on the National Rally and its legal troubles, which, as seen in other countries, tend to rally voters.”

Asked whether the verdict might benefit the left, Samaras noted: “It will most likely galvanize the left, as the center is becoming increasingly irrelevant, as evidenced in July.”

“I am uncertain about the precise public response. However, France Unbowed is likely to garner additional support under the current circumstances.”