'It's a shame' if Le Pen can't run for president, says supporter in northern France

Record ID: 1987022

  • Title: 'It's a shame' if Le Pen can't run for president, says supporter in northern France
  • Date: 31st March 2025
  • Summary: HENIN-BEAUMONT RESIDENT, PASCAL WALKOWIAK, LOADING VAN (SOUNDBITE) (French) HENIN-BEAUMONT RESIDENT, PASCAL WALKOWIAK, 56, SAYING: "It's a shame, it's a shame because we needed a different president, we needed the RN (National Rally) to win. So, I hope Bardella will win. There you go. Because considering the mess in France, it might be time for things to get sorted." WALKO
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Henin Beaumont Le Pen stronghold
  • Location: HENIN-BEAUMONT, FRANCE
  • City: HENIN-BEAUMONT, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001301231032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement on Monday (March 31) and banned immediately for five years from running for public office, in a watershed moment that will rule her out of the 2027 presidential race unless she successfully appeals beforehand.
    The French court's ruling was a catastrophic setback for Le Pen, the National Rally (RN) party chief who has been a front-runner in opinion polls for the 2027 contest.
    In Henin-Beaumont in the Pas-de-Calais department, Le Pen's constituency in northern France where she was elected as deputy, opinion was divided on her ineligibility to run for president (pending appeal).
    "It's a shame," said Pascal Walkowiak, 56, a resident of Henin-Beaumont
    "I'm disgusted, but I don't think she would have won because there are always people behind the scenes who tear everyone down," he added.
    Another Henin-Beaumont resident sees the sentence as a "good thing" and believe that if she made "mistakes" she can't represent French people at the elections.
    The judge also gave Le Pen a four-year prison sentence - two years of which are suspended sentence and two which will be served under home detention. She also received a 100,000-euro ($108,200) fine.
    She is almost certain to appeal, and neither the prison sentence nor the fine would be applied until her appeals are exhausted. Appeals in France can take months or even years.
    But her five-year ban from running for office kicks in immediately, via a so-called "provisional execution" measure requested by prosecutors, and will be lifted only if any appeal is upheld before the election. She retains her parliamentary seat until her term ends.
    (Production: Marco Trujillo, Marta Fiorin)
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