French far-right leader Jordan Bardera appealed to people to gather in central Paris on Sunday in protest over a ruling that barred Marine Le Pen from running for office for five years.
Le Pen’s bid to become France’s next president in 2027 was hit dramatically on Monday when a judge said it was at the heart of an operation that saw the embezzlement of the EU funds of 2.9 million euros ($3.4 million, £2.5 million) between 2004 and 2016.
She can appeal, but the ban is instantly effective, and the appeal process can take some time, leaving her with a slight hope of running for presidency.
Bardera, president of the National Assembly (RN) Party, said the French must be “furious” by the verdict.
“We’re taking you to the streets this weekend,” Bardera added at a press conference Tuesday, calling for “a democratic, peaceful and gentle mobilization.” The first event is planned for Vauban, located near Eiffel Tower on Sunday.
Sitting by his side, Le Pen said that a “nuclear bomb” was used against the RN, stopping political parties from taking power.
The long-standing nominality of France’s right added that the “system” used “strong weapons” against the RN.
“We won’t let them get away with it,” she added. People had to motivate them to be patient, so they had to “harsh their anger and hurt.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Bardera denounced the “authority of the judges” and said “everything is done to stop us from taking power.”
He also criticized the shaming that the judge received after he was sentenced Monday, as Le Pen said the threat to the magistrate was “unacceptable.”
They reflected Remy Heights, a Castation Court prosecutor, who said Tuesday there was a “very personalized attack” and threat to the three judges who decided Monday’s ruling.
Citing a police source, the newspaper Le Figaro reported that Presidential judge Bénédicted de Perthuis in Le Pen case was in protection following the threat.
Le Pen was preparing for his fourth presidency, but he had a chance to win. She is clearly reluctant to hand the baton to Jordan Bardera. He is considered to lack the experience necessary to hold France’s best office at age 29.
Since she was deemed ineligible, Le Pen said she “doesn’t let herself be eliminated like this.” Bardella avoided being drawn into the debate at this stage and refused to say whether he was a “Plan B” for the national assembly.
However, RN spokesman Laurent Jacobelli said the party will fight to have Le Pen as a candidate, but Bardella is the “most naturally legitimate” alternative.
Voters may agree. A poll released one day before Le Pen’s ruling showed that about 60% of RN voters would return Bardella to Le Pen in the presidential election if he runs, leading up to 36% of total votes.
Le Pen has won the support of several right-wingers since Europe, including Hungarian Victor Orban and US President Donald Trump.
And Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, “No one caring about democracy can take millions of citizens from their representatives.”
In addition to banning his appointment for office, Le Pen was also given a fine of 100,000 euros (£82,635) and a four-year prison sentence, two of which were suspended.
This may not apply until the appeal process is exhausted and may take years.
