Watch: Le Pen leaves court after being found guilty of embezzling EU funds

Marine Le Pen stormed out of court after she was banned from running in France’s 2027 presidential election, after being found guilty of embezzling funds from the European Parliament.

The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) was among party officials accused of diverting close to €3m (£2.5m) of European parliament funds to pay France-based staff.

A judge on Monday granted prosecutors’ request that Le Pen face an immediate five-year ban from public office, regardless of any appeal process, using a so-called “provisional execution” measure.

Le Pen was fined €100,000 (£82,635) and handed a four-year jail sentence – of which two years will be a suspended sentence, and another two served under house arrest.

The ban from public office is effective immediately. It is understood that the jail sentence and fine will not take effect until Le Pen has exhausted her appeals against the judge’s ruling.