French far-right leader Marine Le Pen announced Sunday she would peacefully fight against a five-year ban on running in the election and draw inspiration from the ideas of American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., as thousands of her supporters rallied in Paris in her support.
Last week, a Paris court found Ms Le Pen and around 20 members of her National Rally (RN) party guilty of defrauding EU funds and issued a ruling that could bar her from running in France's 2027 presidential election unless she appeals within 18 months.
“We will follow the example of Martin Luther King,” Ms Le Pen said in a video message to Italian Matteo Salvini's anti-immigration League party, which was meeting in Florence.
“Our struggle will be peaceful and democratic. We will follow the example of Martin Luther King, who defended civil rights.”
Le Pen supporters held French flags and chanted “We will win” as they gathered in central Paris on Sunday afternoon in a peaceful demonstration that could show how widespread her accusations are that prosecutors are seeking her “political death”.
79-year-old pensioner Marie-Claude Bonnefon expressed her disagreement with “this parody of a decision taken against Le Pen.”
“You really have to question the impartiality of the judges,” another protester, political science student Tiphaine Kere, told Reuters.
Police did not provide exact figures on the number of participants in Sunday's rally, but organisers say it attracted about 15,000 people.
Le Pen still in lead, polls show
The ruling was a significant blow to Ms Le Pen, 56. The National Rally leader is one of the most visible figures on Europe's far right and the favourite in the polls to win France's 2027 elections.
Ms Le Pen appealed the court's decision and on Sunday promised to use all available tools and legal means to be able to participate in the 2027 elections.
The court said the appeal decision would be made in the summer of 2026.
An Elabe opinion poll on Saturday showed Ms Le Pen still the favourite to win the first round of the presidential election, with 32 to 36 percent of the vote, ahead of former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who had ratings of 20.5 to 24 percent.
However, Ms Le Pen and her allies' attacks on the “tyranny of judges” have found little support even among some of her supporters, especially after the chief judge in her case was placed under police protection amid death threats.
French 'not surprised' by court ruling
Most French people see nothing unusual in the court's decision.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
