Marine Le Pen, the far-right French politician, began an appeal in Paris against a ruling that banned her from running for public office for five years. The case, heard at the Paris Court of Appeal, could prevent Le Pen from standing in the 2027 presidential election.

Le Pen, 57, was found guilty last year of embezzling EU funds. Ahead of her arrival in court, Le Pen stated she was "hopeful" about the outcome of the appeal. The president of her National Rally party, Jordan Bardella, said on Monday that barring her from the election would be "deeply worrying for democracy." Bardella clarified that he would not seek the presidency himself, but would instead aim for the position of prime minister.

The original case centered on accusations that Le Pen, along with more than 20 other senior party figures, misused European Parliament funds. Specifically, they were accused of hiring assistants who worked on National Rally party affairs while being paid by the European Parliament. Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis presided over the initial trial.

The appeal proceedings at the Paris Court of Appeal are scheduled to last until February 12. However, a ruling is not expected before the summer, well in advance of next year's presidential vote. The outcome of the appeal will determine whether Le Pen can participate in the upcoming election.