David Vance SubstackRead More
Yesterday the notoriously corrupt French judicial system delivered an atrocious verdict that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape: Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally (RN), was found guilty of embezzlement and barred from seeking public office for five years.
This ruling is less a triumph of justice and more a calculated strike by a fearful establishment desperate to silence a woman who has spent decades fighting for the French people and who looked poised to actually win the Presidency!
Le Pen has long been a thorn in the side of France’s elitist political class. Her unapologetic stance on national sovereignty, immigration control, and economic fairness has rallied millions to her cause, transforming the RN from a fringe movement into a powerhouse that threatens the status quo. The charges against her—alleged misuse of European Parliament funds—reek of political opportunism. For years, her detractors have scrambled to tarnish her reputation, and this verdict feels like the culmination of a witch hunt designed to derail her 2027 presidential bid. The timing, the severity, and the immediate enforcement of her ban all suggest a coordinated effort to kneecap her momentum just as she was poised to claim the Élysée Palace.
Meanwhile in Le Pen’s case, the court’s decision to impose a five-year ineligibility period, effective immediately, alongside a four-year prison sentence (two years suspended, two under house arrest) and a €100,000 fine, is draconian. Le Pen has vowed to appeal, and rightly so. The evidence presented—claims that RN misused €4 million over a decade—pales in comparison to the systemic corruption that festers within France’s mainstream parties. Yet, it’s Le Pen who faces the guillotine of justice, while others escape scrutiny. This double standard exposes the judiciary as a tool of the establishment, not a guardian of fairness. Thus has it always been.
Consider the case of Christine Lagarde, now ECB President, who was convicted in 2016 of negligence from her time as France’s Finance Minister (2007–2011). The case involved her 2008 decision to approve a €404 million arbitration payout to businessman Bernard Tapie, settling a dispute with Crédit Lyonnais. Critics claimed favoritism, sparking a probe by the Court of Justice of the Republic. Despite the guilty verdict for not contesting the award, Lagarde faced no penalty, keeping her IMF role then and ECB position now. The payout was later overturned in 2015, but as of March 31, 2025, her conviction remains unpunished.
Le Pen left the courtroom defiant, refusing to bow to what she called a “political decision” Her protégé, Jordan Bardella, echoed her sentiments, labelling it an “execution” of French democracy, The RN’s base, millions strong, sees this as an attack not just on Le Pen, but on their right to choose their leader. Far from weakening her, this could galvanise her support, casting her as a martyr against a corrupt system.
When US President Trump was asked his view on Marine Le Pen being banned from running for president in 2027 he remarked;
“That’s a big deal… a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to be convicted of anything… that sounds very much like this country”
This verdict may delay her ascent, but it won’t extinguish the flame she’s lit. In 2027, with or without her on the ballot, her ideas will prevail.
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