French Far Right to Keep Up Pressure As Le Pen Gets Lifeline

France’s National Rally plans to protest against what it has called the “tyranny of judges” even after an appeals court said in a surprise statement late Tuesday that it should be able to rule by mid-2026 on a challenge by Marine Le Pen over her conviction this week.

Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement on Monday and given an immediate five-year ban on running for office, seemingly thwarting her ambition to replace President Emmanuel Macron when his term ends. If the appeals court were to find in Le Pen’s favor or say the ban needn’t apply straight away, it would come in time for her to run in the presidential race in 2027.