Tuesday 15 April 2025 02:07 GMT

Trump views Le Pen conviction as ‘a very big deal’


(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has expressed strong views on the conviction of French opposition leader Marine Le Pen, drawing parallels between her criminal prosecution and his own legal battles under the Biden administration. On Monday, Le Pen, the former leader of the conservative National Rally (RN) party, was sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended, and banned from holding public office for five years. This conviction effectively bars her from running in the 2027 presidential election.

Trump, when asked about the verdict in the Oval Office, remarked, "That’s a very big deal," adding that many people had believed she would not be convicted. He also pointed out that Le Pen, as the leading candidate, was banned from running for five years, a situation he likened to his own political struggles. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the investigations into him are politically motivated and part of a "witch hunt" led by the Biden administration and Democrats.

US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce also expressed concern about Le Pen’s prosecution, likening it to the “corrupt lawfare” against President Trump in the US. Le Pen was accused of embezzling EU funds meant for her parliamentary staff, which she allegedly diverted to fund her party’s activities in France. She denied any wrongdoing and described the verdict as a “fatal day for our democracy.”

Le Pen's party holds the most seats in the National Assembly, and polls show that she remains a strong contender for the 2027 election, with 34-37% of voters planning to support her, ahead of her closest rival, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Le Pen has run for president three times, finishing second in both 2017 and 2022.

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