Appeal judgment in the assistants’ case: the Cour d’appel specifies penalties against Marine Le Pen

Paris – 07.07.2026: The Paris Court of Appeal decided on Tuesday 7 July 2026 in the appeal against Marine Le Pen, the Rassemblement National (RN) and former leaders of the Front national. The case centers on the allegation that EU funds intended for parliamentary assistants were misused. At its core it concerns employees paid from European Parliament budgets who, according to investigators, mostly performed functions for the party.

According to sources in the proceedings, the chamber confirmed parts of the first-instance convictions and at the same time adjusted the sentencing framework. The court found that the evidence on several points was sufficient to establish criminal liability and determined ancillary consequences that can go beyond fines. These include conditions related to professional activity and to the mandate, which — depending on their exact wording — can immediately affect political leeway.

At the center of public attention is the question of possible ineligibility, i.e. a temporary disqualification from running for office. Decisive is the duration and the form of such a measure. A prolonged ban could de facto prevent Le Pen from participating in the 2027 presidency or only allow it under certain conditions. The prosecution had sought harsh penalties, while the defense rejected political motives and emphasized the particularities of parliamentary assistance contracts.

The appeal legally revolved around three blocks: the distinction between party activity and mandate work, the admissibility of internal party instructions to EU assistants, and the question of to what extent a party’s organizational structures generate criminal liability. The judges emphasized in the grounds of the ruling, according to observers of the proceedings, that EU funds must be used exclusively to support parliamentary work and that internal party purposes must be strictly separated.

Politically, the ruling has immediate effects. In the RN attention turns to the leadership around Jordan Bardella, who could be more exposed in the event of restrictive conditions. For the party organization, the task arises of further separating the electoral campaign from parliamentary work to minimize future risks. At the same time, the decision increases pressure on other actors to demonstrate compliance structures in the use of EU funds.

Legally, the case is not necessarily closed with the appeal. The parties can appeal to the Court of Cassation, which however only examines questions of law. Such a step could extend timelines and delay the finality of the sanctions. For voters, two elements remain decisive for now: the specific conditions imposed — including possible forms of probation — and the question of who will represent the RN in the first round of the presidential election in April 2027.