Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National, announced she will run for the 2027 French presidential election [1].
This announcement follows a legal battle over her eligibility to hold office. The decision by the Paris appeal court to lift her disqualification clears a major legal hurdle for the right-wing leader to seek the presidency.
Le Pen spoke at the Tribunal d'appel de Paris on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 [2]. While the court removed the disqualification that would have barred her from running, it imposed a one-year electronic ankle bracelet as part of her sentence [3].
Le Pen said the device is incompatible with the requirements of a political campaign. She said, "Haré campaña sin la pulsera electrónica," which translates to "I will campaign without the electronic bracelet" [4].
The legal proceedings focused on whether the conviction and subsequent penalties would prevent her from appearing on the ballot in 2027 [1]. The court's decision to lift the disqualification ensures her legal right to contest the election, despite the remaining conditions of her sentence [2].
Le Pen intends to challenge the practicality of the monitoring device as she prepares for a national campaign [3]. The one-year duration of the bracelet means the restriction would overlap with the lead-up to the 2027 vote [3].
“I will campaign without the electronic bracelet”
The removal of Le Pen's disqualification transforms the 2027 electoral landscape by confirming that the Rassemblement National's primary leader is legally eligible to run. While the court imposed a monitoring device, Le Pen's open defiance of the ankle bracelet suggests a strategy of framing the legal restriction as a political obstacle rather than a criminal penalty.
