The political landscape is still reeling after a French court convicted Marine Le Pen, a prominent right-wing figure, of embezzlement, effectively barring her from holding office for five years, a move described by one political analyst as a “political earthquake.”

In a statement to her supporters on Tuesday, Le Pen characterized the situation as “the system” deploying a “nuclear bomb” to sabotage her presidential ambitions.

Le Pen and her National Rally party are known for their strong stances on immigration, crime, and other contentious issues. They currently hold the most seats in the French parliament. Le Pen garnered 11 million votes in her previous presidential bid against Emmanuel Macron. Prior to the ruling, polls indicated she was favored to win the 2027 election. Le Pen has announced her intention to appeal the ruling.

“We won’t give in,” she asserted recently.

Le Pen’s supporters, along with others, believe that a left-leaning judiciary is overriding the will of the people.

A young associate of Le Pen’s and potential presidential successor, , spoke on the radio Tuesday about a “tyranny of judges…everything had been done to keep us from power.”

Remy Heitz, one of the French prosecutors involved in the case, defended the decision, stating on Tuesday that “this is not a political decision but a legal one.”

Le Pen and her party members were found guilty of misusing European Union funds for domestic party activities. The conviction includes a fine and a period of house arrest.

However, the chances of Le Pen successfully appealing the verdict are slim, and the process would be lengthy.

“I’m not too optimistic about the appeal,” French political analyst Christian Malard told , “and if it doesn’t work in the way she would be expecting, politically it would mean she’s ‘dead.’”

Le Pen is a well-known advocate for right-wing causes globally, and the ruling has sparked international reaction.

During a press conference at the Oval Office last night, President acknowledged, “That’s a very big deal,” adding that questions about the courts’ role in politics “…sounds like this country, it sounds very much like this country.”

The National Rally is organizing protests this weekend to express the widespread discontent over Le Pen’s temporary removal from the political arena.

As analyst Malard observed, “Disenfranchised is the word… we will see if there is reaction in the street.”

Alternatively, Le Pen may choose to wait it out. Even if her appeal fails, she will be eligible to run for office again at the age of 61, which, in many countries, is still young enough to pursue leadership positions.

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