French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is awaiting a critical court ruling on Monday that could determine her political future. Le Pen, head of the National Rally (RN), faces accusations of embezzling over 3 million euros ($3.3 million) of European Parliament funds to pay France-based staff.
Le Pen, 56, who has made three unsuccessful bids for the French presidency, has stated that 2027 will be her final run for the top office. If barred, her party claims it would be a politically motivated attempt to eliminate her from the race. “With provisional execution, the judges have the power of life or death over our movement,” Le Pen told La Tribune Dimanche. “But I don't think they'll go that far.”
Political analysts suggest that a guilty verdict could significantly alter France’s political landscape. According to Arnaud Benedetti, a political analyst specializing in the RN’s rise, removing Le Pen from the race would be a seismic disruption. “The main opposition leader would be prevented from running by the judges,” he said.
Le Pen’s supporters argue that the charges are a politically motivated witch hunt. Her party has transformed into the largest single party in France’s parliament, and an acquittal could bolster her mainstream appeal.
However, a guilty verdict with a five-year ban could force Le Pen to step aside for her protégé, Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old party president. While senior RN figures do not expect Le Pen to be barred, political scientist Jean-Yves Camus noted that a ban could intensify her supporters' feelings of being ostracized by the political elite.
The verdict will have broader implications beyond Le Pen’s candidacy, sparking debate about how judges influence politics and whether legal proceedings are being used to block political opponents.
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Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
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Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, stepping inside one of the most iconic sites of the Muslim world. He removed his shoes at the entrance in a gesture of respect. He did not appear to pray.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
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Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, stepping inside one of the most iconic sites of the Muslim world. He removed his shoes at the entrance in a gesture of respect. He did not appear to pray.
Russian drones and missiles struck several districts of Kyiv early on Saturday, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen. Fires swept through residential blocks as debris rained over the city.
Shoppers packed malls and downtown streets in Caracas on Black Friday (28 November) as retailers offered discounts despite Venezuela’s prolonged economic crisis. Customers queued in shoe and electronics stores and browsed signs advertising cuts of up to 50%.
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