Macron defends judicial independence in wake of Le Pen verdict

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron defended the independence of the judiciary in the face of growing criticism of Marine Le Pen’s Monday corruption conviction, according to a government spokesperson.

“The judiciary is independent. It makes its decisions in complete independence, and therefore, it must be respected as a pillar of our democracy,” government spokesperson Sophie Primas said Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting.

Macron said threats against judges are absolutely “unacceptable” and “intolerable,” Primas said.

“Everyone has the right to equal justice and that the law applies the same to everyone,” she added.

Primas also commented on Premier Francois Bayrou’s concerns about the immediate enforcement of certain sentences, including the one handed down to right-wing leader Le Pen, who was seen as a front-runner for the 2027 presidential elections.

“The concerns expressed by the prime minister do not relate to the ruling itself,” she said.

Primas said his concern was about the possibility of appealing the entire sentence and, more specifically, about the issue of immediate enforcement.

“The concern is not about the sentence, the ruling, or the court’s decision, but about this mechanism, which was decided upon at the time for good and well-documented reasons,” she added.

Le Pen, 56, was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzling EU funds.

She was also handed a four-year prison sentence, including two years with an electronic tag and the remainder suspended, and was fined €100,000 ($108,200).​​​​​​​

The conviction sparked an international backlash, with judges in the trial receiving threats.