Why this moment matters for Francepublished at 15:34 BST

15:34 BST

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, Reuters

Today's appeal verdict was supposed to fire the starting pistol on the presidential race. We now have to wait for a clear-cut decision from Marine Le Pen, whether she will run or not.

The first round of elections is on 18 April 2027 and the run-off if no candidate secures a majority vote is on 2 May.

Le Pen has already run for president three times and came second to Emmanuel Macron in 2022 and 2017.

With under 10 months to go before the vote, she leads in the polls.

If she does not run, her young lieutenant, Jordan Bardella, will stand in her place, so her interview on French TV this evening will have far-reaching consequences for France.

"Whatever happens I won't be dead; whatever happens I'll continue to fight for my ideas," Le Pen told news channel LCI before today's verdict.

The difference is that if she does hand the reins to Bardella, she would become a mere activist, not a presidential candidate.

Image source, Reuters

Marine Le Pen must now decide whether she will run for president. While an effective ban on doing so has now been removed, she has previously indicated she would not do so with an electronic tag - a condition that remains.

If she decides against running, Jordan Bardella is set to become the National Rally (RN) candidate.

Bardella joined what was then the National Front (FN) as a 17-year-old in 2012, later dropping out of university to focus on his political career.

He became part of Le Pen's campaign team in 2017, then in his early twenties, and has been party chairman since 2022.

Due to turn 31 in September, Bardella - if he were to win the presidency - would succeed Emmanuel Macron as France's youngest president and become the first hard-right head of state in modern French history.

If Le Pen were to become president, she said Bardella would be prime minister - but that she was prepared to hand the presidential role to him "if justice bars me from standing".

Bardella has previously dismissed suggestions the arrangement had sparked tensions between him and Le Pen, telling the BBC last December that he will "fight by her side so she can win the appeal".

• Read more about Jordan Bardella in our story on his background

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Marine Le Pen has arrived at the headquarters of her National Rally party - she did not take any questions from journalists.

She is yet to make a statement on today's verdict, but is scheduled to appear on French TV tonight at 20:00 local time (19:00 BST).

A verdict which leaves Le Pen's political future hanging in the balancepublished at 13:58 BST

13:58 BST

Hugh Schofield
Paris Correspondent

Image source, Reuters

This is a judgment of Solomon that leaves Marine Le Pen’s political future still hanging in the balance.

On the one hand, the panel of appeal judges has been significantly more lenient than the original court on the question of ineligibility.

The five years handed down at the original trial has been cut, in effect, to 15 months. This is time already served (since the original sentence) so Le Pen is now, juridically, able to run.

However, there’s a but.

This is the confirmation that Le Pen must also serve a year in jail. In practice not in jail, but at home with an electronic tag.

Image source, Reuters

Le Pen has herself said that she would not run as candidate in those conditions, because she would not be fully at liberty.

In theory then she should now be handing over the candidacy to Jordan Bardella.

But there’s another consideration. Can this period with an electronic tag be reduced with good behaviour? In most cases the answer is yes. Will that then be a consideration too?

The court decision was supposed to end the suspense over who will run as the nationalist candidate in the presidential election next year.

So far it hasn’t.

Marine Le Pen and her 10 co-defendants have all been found guilty of diverting European Parliament funds.

As part of their sentence, they are all now condemned to pay damages to the European Union (EU) parliament.

The total sum is close to €2 million (£1.7m) to reimburse the contracts they paid to assistants.

They will also pay €150,000 in moral damages to the EU, plus legal fees.

On top of this, the co-defendants have all also received individual fines, including €100,000 for Le Pen.

Image source, Reuters

National Rally figurehead Le Pen has now left the courtroom after hearing the verdict on her appeal.

She left the courtroom without speaking to journalists, according to Reuters.

Le Pen will be appearing on French TV tonight at 20:00 local time (19:00 BST).

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

Judge Michèle Agi has now left court.

Marine Le Pen has stayed in her seat surrounded by a huddle of lawyers and confidantes.

What will be her next move?

France's allies are watching very closelypublished at 13:21 BST

13:21 BST

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Will she, won’t she?

Many of France’s European allies were watching the Court of Appeal so closely today.

Now they await Marine Le Pen’s appearance on French TV this evening to hear her decision as to whether she will indeed canvass to become France’s next president – or not.

It matters. France is the European Union’s second largest economy. A nuclear power with a significant military (by European standards).

The fact that Eurosceptic, traditionally Nato-unenthusiastic Le Pen and her protegee Jordan Bardella, who could run for president in her stead, are head and shoulders ahead of other possible presidential candidates in opinion polls is a huge worry in Brussels.

Image source, Reuters

But there are a fair few European decision-makers who believe, if Jordan Bardella becomes France’s next president, he could be more ‘reasonable’ than Le Pen.

Others whisper that Bardella’s youth and political inexperience could also mean he’ll trip up and lose popularity between now and next year’s election.

Nine months is a very long time in politics.

A number of so-called "disruptor" parties across Europe, however - like Germany’s popular Alternative for Germany (AfD) - are thought likely to use today’s ruling by the Court of Appeal.

The ruling, which includes Le Pen having to wear an electronic tag, could be used to support their assertion that the establishment will use all means at their disposal, including the justice system, to try to crush the voice of the people.

Le Pen found guilty but it's her decision not to run, not the court'spublished at 13:04 BST

13:04 BST

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

The court has upheld Marine Le Pen's guilty sentence. But with the judges requiring her to serve one year with an electronic tag, she has already said she will not run.

Any time with a tag would prevent her from campaigning properly, she has argued, as she would have to seek authorisation every time she held a campaign rally.

So it's really her decision not to run, not the court's, unless she changes her mind.

By reducing the period she is barred from public office in effect to just 15 months, as 30 of the 45 months are suspended, she could still run for the presidency.

They have left the ball in her court, but Le Pen in her own words has said she will not run under these conditions.

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

Everyone in court is trying to do maths.

What does the Marine Le Pen judgment mean for the presidency - will she run?

Real confusion here.

Le Pen could run in theory, but had previously ruled out canvassing if she has to wear an electronic bracelet, which she’s been told she has to do.

Everyone will wait for her appearance on French TV tonight at 20:00 local time (19:00 BST).

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

The judge has confirmed Marine Le Pen is guilty of the charges.

A €100,000 (£74,700) fine is confirmed and three years of imprisonment, with two suspended and one year with a electronic bracelet.

After the judgment Le Pen returns stone faced to her seat.

The facts are serious, Judge Michèle Agi says. They took place over 11 years across three parliamentary terms, despite warnings from the European Parliament, she adds.

They involved the misappropriation of €2.8m (£2.4m) which had been intended for hiring staff - and European funds constitute public funds, the judge says.

These actions discredited European institutions, Michèle Agi says. She adds they were also serious because they created an unequal playing field with other political parties.

Five possible outcomes for Le Penpublished at 12:38 BST

12:38 BST

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, AFP

There are five possible outcomes that could be heard at the Court of Appeal today.

Acquittal: If Le Pen is acquitted, she will be clear to run for the presidency with her reputation intact. This verdict is seen as unlikely.

Guilty: If the court finds her guilty and bars her from office for more than two years (from 31 March 2025), she will not be able to stand. That is because the clock has continued ticking since the five-year ban on public office was handed down.

Guilty with reduced ban: It would be a different story if she were handed a ban on public office of two years or less as she would then be free to run.

Guilty with electronic tag: If the court follows the recommendation of prosecutors and the four-year jail term remains, she would face one year with an electronic tag, rather than two, with the rest suspended.

Appealing against the appeal: She could still challenge a guilty verdict at France's top court, the Court of Cassation - and she would have 10 days to decide. But that would still take several months and hold her back from campaigning - and she has indicated she would not do so.

Even if she is cleared, prosecutors might decide to go to the top court.

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

Judge Michèle Agi has arrived.

Her microphone isn't working properly. We're all straining to hear.

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

As we await the judge, the courtroom is alive with chatter.

Expectant journalists, earnest-looking Marine Le Pen supporters.

Le Pen came over to greet some of them, clusters of lawyers from the prosecution and defence, looking red-faced and hot in their formal robes.

Proceedings are about to start at the Paris appeal court and Marine Le Pen will shortly find out whether it has upheld last year's embezzlement conviction against her.

The ruling will decide whether or not she can stand in the French presidential election in April 2027.

We will bring you the latest lines as we get them.

Image source, Reuters

The verdict from the Paris Court of Appeal could decide Marine Le Pen's political future. Here's a quick look at the events which got us to this point:

• December 2023: Le Pen and more than 20 others are charged, accused of misusing European parliamentary funds
• September 2024: The trial begins with Le Pen denying any wrongdoing
• November 2024: At the end of the trial,the Paris prosecutor demands guilty verdicts and a prison sentence of five years for Le Pen, as well as a five-year ban from political office
• 31 March 2025: Le Pen is found guilty and given a four-year prison sentence - of which two are suspended and the other two spent with an electronic tag rather than in custody. Le Pen condemns what she describes as a “political decision” and says she will appeal the ban
• January - February 2026: The trial starts at the Court of Appeal in January and concludes in February, with the appeal ruling coming today

What to look out for when verdict startspublished at 12:21 BST

12:21 BST

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, NurPhoto via Getty Images

The first idea we will get of what Marine Le Pen can expect will come when the judge announces whether she and the other 11 defendants in the appeal case are guilty or innocent.

If she's innocent, she can run for the presidency and her appeal is won. This is considered unlikely.

If she's guilty and the court upholds the original March 2025 verdict, the focus then turns to what the sentence will be, and that may take time.

If it's a guilty verdict the two key questions are: will she have to wear an electronic tag and will she be barred from public office for more than two years?

Le Pen says any sentence with an ankle bracelet would stop her campaigning for the presidency. Prosecutors want her to wear a tag for a year as part of a four-year prison sentence, with three years suspended.

Her original sentence had a five-year ban on public office and the clock started running on that in March last year.

Anything that bars her from public office when France votes for a new president in April and May 2027 means she cannot be president. In other words, two years or more after the ban took effect.

Even after sentencing the story may not be over. Both Le Pen and the prosecution have 10 days to appeal to a higher court, but an appeal could take months and she would really prefer to avoid that.

Katya Adler
BBC Europe editor reporting from Paris

Marine Le Pen has taken her seat in the courtroom. She's looking calm and serious.

Le Pen's very occasionally glancing round at all of us - members of the press and public gathered here.

Image source, Reuters

Marine Le Pen, the figurehead of the hard-right party National Rally, has arrived at the Court of Appeal in Paris.

She will shortly hear the verdict of her appeal, after she was found guilty of embezzlement last year.

We will bring you the key lines from the verdict hearing after it begins at 13:30 local time (12:30 BST).

Image source, AFP via Getty Images