Marine Le Pen launches presidential campaign in La Fleche after court upholds conviction but permits candidacy

Campaign launch in La Fleche

Marine Le Pen officially launched her presidential campaign on Wednesday at a street market in La Fleche, a town in the Loire Valley. The event drew a volatile mix of cheers and boos, with supporters chanting "Marine, President!" and opponents shouting "Give the money back!" and "Go to jail!" Le Pen, 57, is making her fourth bid for the presidency and currently leads opinion polls for the 2027 election. She chose La Fleche, a long-time left-wing bastion that in March elected a 25-year-old National Rally mayor, calling it symbolic of the party's growing reach. She told the crowd,

The aim of our campaign is to bring about France's revival.

Her team simultaneously unveiled a campaign website featuring the slogan "For France, Revival" and an image of Le Pen with outstretched arms. She readily posed for selfies with supporters, one of whom exclaimed, "Marine, you're the best!"

Court ruling clears path

The launch came just one day after the Paris appeals court upheld her March 2025 conviction for embezzling European Parliament funds to pay party staff. Crucially, the court shortened her ban on running for office, enabling her candidacy. The court also ordered Le Pen to wear an electronic ankle tag for a year, but her announcement of a final appeal to France's highest court suspended that requirement. The National Rally had already prepared for the possibility that her 30-year-old protégé, Jordan Bardella, would stand as the party's candidate, but Le Pen's decision to run delays his ambitions.

1. 2025-03Le Pen convicted of embezzling EU funds
2. Jul 7, 2026Appeals court upholds conviction but shortens ban on running for office
3. Jul 8, 2026Le Pen launches presidential campaign in La Fleche

Political landscape and polling

Le Pen has lost two previous presidential runoffs to Emmanuel Macron, who is now barred by term limits from seeking a third term. Her polling strength has never been higher, and the decisive round next year could pit her against far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The campaign's use of the word "Renaissance" is widely seen as a dig at Macron, whose own party bears that name. Le Pen frames the contest as one between "The People" and "The Metropolitan Elite," a narrative that resonates with voters disillusioned by inequality. Her online poster features the French tricolour and the subtitle "La Renaissance."

Reactions and divisions

Asked repeatedly about the court verdict, Le Pen sounded irritated and told reporters,

I'm not going to spend my whole campaign analysing legal matters.

The mixed reception in La Fleche reflected the deep divisions her candidacy inspires. One French journalist likened the political mood to the Titanic, with France feeling like it is sinking. Le Pen appears to be betting that voters will overlook her legal troubles, much as American voters did for Donald Trump.