A high-stakes appeal by far-right French politician Marine Le Pen has begun in Paris against a ruling that banned her from running for public office for five years.

Le Pen, 57, was found guilty last year of embezzling EU funds and, if the ban is upheld, she will not be able to stand in the 2027 presidential election. Ahead of her arrival in court, she said “hopeful” about the outcome.

On Monday, the president of her National Rally party, Jordan Bardella, said barring her from the election would be “deeply worrying for democracy”.

Bardella said he would not stand for president but would instead seek the lower-ranking post of prime minister.

The case at the Paris Court of Appeal will last until 12 February but a ruling is not expected before the summer, well ahead of next year’s presidential vote.

Last year’s case centred on charges that Le Pen, along with more than 20 other senior party figures, hired assistants who worked on her RN party affairs rather than for the European Parliament which paid them.

The judge, Bénédicte de Perthuis, said Le Pen had been at the “heart of the system” that saw the embezzlement of €2.9m (£2.5m) worth of European funds.

Le Pen was given a four-year prison sentence – with two years suspended and the remaining two to be served with an electronic tag rather than in custody. She was handed a €100,000 (£82,635) fine and banned from seeking public office “with immediate effect”.

More than 20 RN figures were also found guilty in last year’s trial and the party was ordered to pay a €2m fine, with half the amount suspended.

Eleven of Le Pen’s colleagues are taking part in the Paris appeal, but 12 have decided not to challenge the original verdicts, including her sister Yann Le Pen who was given a one-year suspended prison term.

Credit: bbc.com