Louis Aliot confirms appeals to the Court of Cassation after Court of Appeal verdict against Marine Le Pen

Paris – 09.07.2026: Louis Aliot, deputy chairman of the Rassemblement National (RN) and mayor of Perpignan, on Thursday reiterated that he and Marine Le Pen will file appeals to the Court of Cassation against the July 7 ruling of the Paris Court of Appeal. On the France 2 program “Les 4 Vérités” Aliot spoke of legal remedies “on very specific questions” and added that there is always “a political element” in judicial decisions. The remarks aim to contextualize the legal consequences and to emphasize the political capacity of the party leadership.

The Court of Appeal ruling concerns the affair over allegedly fictitious parliamentary assistants in the European Parliament. The Cour d’appel de Paris in its reasoning found an “objective seriousness of the offense” and upheld convictions against several former leading figures as well as against the party as a legal entity. According to the written decision, sanctions range from fines to restrictions on electoral rights, the exact scope of which varies depending on the convicted individuals. An appeal to the Court of Cassation deals exclusively with legal and procedural questions; no re-evaluation of the facts takes place there.

Aliot sought to dampen political fallout. He emphasized that the French had understood there had been no personal enrichment and could distinguish legal questions from party-political disputes. This line corresponds to the RN’s communication strategy of framing legal disputes as technical-legal matters and separating them from the electoral decision. At the same time, it should be noted that the Court of Appeal ruling largely supports the judiciary’s previous reasoning about the purpose and deployment of the contested staff positions.

The decision carries signaling effects for domestic politics. Marine Le Pen, despite the conviction, remains committed to her presidential ambition for 2027. Observers point out that while an ongoing appeals procedure complicates political planning, it also raises the public visibility of the party leadership. Whether electoral-law consequences apply in individual cases depends on the courts’ final interpretation. Until a decision by the Court of Cassation, the ruling remains effective in its legal parts, unless expressly stayed.

Next, the Court of Cassation will examine whether the complaints raised by the defenses are admissible and decisive. The highest court typically focuses on the interpretation of legal norms, procedural questions and the reasoning requirements of the lower courts. A possible cassation decision could confirm the ruling, partially quash it and refer it back for retrial, or set new standards on certain points. Politically, the question of how strict the requirements for the use of European funds within party contexts should be will likely remain a matter of debate.