France’s constitutional court ruled that politicians can be barred from office immediately if convicted of a crime, raising the possibility that far-right leader Marine Le Pen could be disqualified from the 2027 presidential race if found guilty in her upcoming embezzlement trial.
France's constitutional court on Friday ruled local politicians can be barred from office immediately if convicted of a crime, leaving the door open for far-right leader Marine Le Pen to potentially be barred from the 2027 presidential race in an embezzlement trial concluding on Monday.
National Rally (RN) leader Le Pen, who leads polls for the 2027 presidential vote, accuses prosecutors of seeking her "political death" by asking judges to bar her from office for five years if convicted.
Should Le Pen receive a so-called "provisional execution" ban, which would be effective immediately even if she appeals, she would be unable to stand in the 2027 election. She has denied wrongdoing.
Robin Binsard, a lawyer who represents another disbarred politician, said the court's ruling was "absolutely" negative for Le Pen as "the judges retain the possibility of ordering ineligibility with provisional execution".
The court in Friday's case dismissed a challenge from a disbarred Mayotte councilman who disputed the legality of his "provisional execution" ban, which means having to quit their jobs immediately if convicted, rather than waiting for an appeals process to run its course.
In its ruling, the court said the "provisional execution" of an ineligibility sentence did not infringe on rights such as freedom of expression and so was legal.
In Le Pen's case, prosecutors have asked judges to impose an immediate five-year ban regardless of any appeal, via the same "provisional execution" measure.
A provisional execution ban would not see Le Pen removed from her seat in parliament until her mandate ends, but it would prevent her from running in any fresh electoral contest.
Le Pen, the RN and some two dozen party figures are accused by prosecutors of diverting over 3 million euros ($3.27 million) of European Parliament funds to pay staff working for the party in France.
The defendants say the money was used legitimately and that the allegations incorporate too narrow a definition of what a parliamentary assistant does.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on June 3 that it struck the bridge connecting Russia to Crimea with underwater explosives.
Energy giant bp is ramping up exploration and development efforts across the Caspian Basin, eyeing massive untapped oil and gas resources, according to Dan Sparkes, bp's Vice President for Exploration in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win South Korea’s snap presidential election, according to a joint exit poll by major broadcasters, as the country turns the page on a political crisis triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment.
The European Union has not received a formal letter from the United States demanding that countries submit their best trade offers by Wednesday, a source familiar with the ongoing negotiations said, despite reports of such a document circulating in Washington.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that Germany will continue to reject asylum seekers at its borders, despite a court ruling deeming the practice unlawful, citing public safety and overburdened municipalities.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on June 3 that it struck the bridge connecting Russia to Crimea with underwater explosives.
Energy giant bp is ramping up exploration and development efforts across the Caspian Basin, eyeing massive untapped oil and gas resources, according to Dan Sparkes, bp's Vice President for Exploration in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
A new European Union law coming into effect on June 20 mandates smartphone makers to provide five years of software updates, energy labels, and improved repairability—setting new standards that may reshape the global smartphone industry.
Baku Energy Week 2025 has become a dynamic platform for major energy stakeholders, spotlighting strategic oil, gas, and renewable projects that reinforce Azerbaijan’s global energy role and green ambitions.
Portuguese police have reopened the search for Madeleine McCann in the Algarve, acting on a German request, as investigators continue to pursue links to suspect Christian Brueckner.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
In a major blow to one of President Donald Trump’s key economic policies, a US federal court has blocked the administration’s sweeping global tariff regime, ruling that the White House overstepped its constitutional authority.
China has launched a new phase of combat readiness patrols around Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) in the South China Sea, escalating tensions in one of the world’s most contested maritime zones.
The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has issued a strong call for international efforts to combat ongoing forms of colonialism, stressing that colonial structures and ideologies persist in various political, economic, and institutional forms around the world.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday in a bid to ease tensions over Ukraine, U.S. ties, and EU trade strategies, amid growing disagreements between the two leaders.
U.S. President Donald Trump has asked Japan to partner in developing his proposed $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense system. The move could influence ongoing tariff negotiations between the two nations.
Over 200 inmates escaped from a Karachi prison late Monday after earthquake tremors caused panic, prompting guards to unlock cells, according to Pakistani officials.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on June 3 that it struck the bridge connecting Russia to Crimea with underwater explosives.
Energy giant bp is ramping up exploration and development efforts across the Caspian Basin, eyeing massive untapped oil and gas resources, according to Dan Sparkes, bp's Vice President for Exploration in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
A new European Union law coming into effect on June 20 mandates smartphone makers to provide five years of software updates, energy labels, and improved repairability—setting new standards that may reshape the global smartphone industry.
Baku Energy Week 2025 has become a dynamic platform for major energy stakeholders, spotlighting strategic oil, gas, and renewable projects that reinforce Azerbaijan’s global energy role and green ambitions.
Portuguese police have reopened the search for Madeleine McCann in the Algarve, acting on a German request, as investigators continue to pursue links to suspect Christian Brueckner.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment