Le Pen refutes 'nuclear bomb' conviction, says will not let presidential bid be 'stolen'

Record ID: 1987543

  • Title: Le Pen refutes 'nuclear bomb' conviction, says will not let presidential bid be 'stolen'
  • Date: 1st April 2025
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 1, 2025) (AGENCY POOL) FRENCH FAR-RIGHT LEADER, MARINE LE PEN, AND NATIONAL RALLY (RN) LEADER, JORDAN BARDELLA, GIVING STATEMENTS DURING MEETING WITH RN LAWMAKERS IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FAR-RIGHT LEADER, MARINE LE PEN, SAYING: “The system has taken out its nuclear bomb, and if it's using such a powerful weapon against us, it's
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  • Keywords: Bardella France Le Pen conviction graft presidential election
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001330001042025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French far right leader Marine Le Pen on Tuesday (April 1) denounced her “nuclear bomb” conviction over graft charges, saying it was a tactic used by adversaries to bar her from winning the country’s 2027 presidential election.
    “We will not let the presidential election be stolen from the French,” Le Pen said in the National Assembly in front of ally lawmakers. “We will defend ourselves, we will use all means at our disposal to allow the French people to choose their future leader, and we will win."
    Le Pen was forbidden from running for public office for five years after being found guilty on Monday (March 31) of embezzling European Union funds.
    The ruling was a catastrophic setback for Le Pen, the long-time National Rally (RN) leader, who had been the front-runner in opinion polls for the 2027 race.
    Le Pen was also given a four-year prison sentence - two years of which are suspended and two years to be served under home detention - and a 100,000-euro ($108,200) fine, but they will not apply until her appeals are exhausted. Appeals in France can take months or even years.
    RN chief Jordan Bardella called on the French for “peaceful” protests this weekend against the court decision.
    Bardella, who could become the RN's de facto candidate for the 2027 election, said Le Pen’s camp will “not bow down.”
    “If they think that a court decision will prevent us from… promoting the hope of millions of French people, not only do they not know us well, but I think they also do not know her well," he said.
    (Production: Ardee Napolitano)
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