The Japan Times - Defiant French far right insists 'we will win' despite Le Pen ban

Le Pen, who considered herself the favourite in the 2027 presidential elections where President Emmanuel Macron cannot stand again, was on Monday given a prison term and fine after being convicted of a fake jobs scheme at the EU parliament.

But the most immediately serious part of the conviction was a five-year ban -- effective immediately -- on standing for office which eliminates her from the race.

But Le Pen and her National Rally (RN) party have remained defiant, pinning hopes on an appeal that they are counting on to reverse the decision before the 2027 election.

Should that fail, there is also the so-called "plan B", a candidacy by her protege and RN party leader, Jordan Bardella, still just 29 and a slick television and social media performer.

Le Pen's conviction sparked angry reactions from far-right figures across Europe but also from the Kremlin, X owner Elon Musk and even the US State Department.

But the French government and prosecutors hit out against attacks on the judiciary and in particular against Benedicte de Perthuis, 63, the experienced judge specialised in financial crimes who issued the verdict.

- 'Everything will be done' -

Speaking to Europe 1 radio, Bardella said that Le Pen had been judged with "brutality and violence" and added that her only mistake was to "have the capacity to take the national camp to victory".

"Everything will be done to prevent us from coming to power," he said.

But Bardella refused to be drawn on whether he would stand for president, noting that Le Pen would still appeal.

"Until we have fought this injustice and pursued all possible avenues to turn it around, I will refuse to put myself in this scenario."

He added that the situation could indeed boost the fortunes of the RN, which already has been the largest single party in parliament since 2024 legislative elections.

"I tell the French do not lose hope. I think that what is happening will make millions of people who do not vote for the RN, vote for the RN. We will finish by winning."

"We are wounded. But we are far from being dead."

Addressing RN MPs alongside Bardella on Monday, Le Pen accused "the system" of rolling out "the nuclear bomb" in a bid to end her presidential hopes.

"If they use such a powerful weapon against us, it's obviously because we're about to win an election," said Le Pen. "We won't let this happen," she added.

In a combative interview with the TF1 network late on Monday, Le Pen had said she would appeal the "political decision", and vowed that in "no way" would she retire from political life.

- 'At the ballot box' -

Key EU powerbroker and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party, became the latest right-wing figure to express concern about the verdict which "targets the leader of a major party and deprives millions of citizens of representation".

French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin also denounced "unacceptable" threats made against the judges while France's prosecutor general Remy Heitz said the verdict was "not a political decision but a legal one".

Le Pen took over the former National Front (FN) from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2011 and has since sought to clean up its image. Her father, who died in January, was often accused of making racist and anti-Semitic comments.

After three unsuccessful presidential campaigns in 2012, 2017 and 2022, polls had shown Le Pen to be on course to easily top the first round with a chance of winning the presidency in the second round run-off.

She was also given a four-year prison term by the Paris court. Two years of the term were suspended and the other two would be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet.

Le Pen was convicted for a scheme where the party was found to have eased the pressure on its own finances by using European Parliament monthly allowances to pay "fictitious" parliamentary assistants, who actually worked for the party.

Twenty-four people -- including Le Pen -- were convicted -- all of them RN party officials or assistants.

T.Ueda--JT