France's Marine Le Pen awaits court verdict that could end presidential bid

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally party, is awaiting a pivotal court decision that will shape her political future and potentially her chances of running for president next year.

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We will never be discouraged, we will always fight

An appeals court is set to deliver its verdict on Tuesday regarding a lower court's ruling that handed Le Pen a five-year ban from public office and a two-year prison sentence. This conviction stems from a fake jobs scam at the European Parliament, where she and others were found guilty of using parliamentary funds to employ National Rally staff in France between 2004 and 2016.

If the appeals court upholds the ban, it would be a significant setback for the three-time presidential candidate, who harbors ambitions to succeed current President Emmanuel Macron. Le Pen has vowed to fight any ruling that impedes her ability to campaign, indicating that her 30-year-old lieutenant, Jordan Bardella, would step in as party leader if she is unable to run.

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I'm not scared

Prosecutors are seeking to maintain the five-year ban and have requested a four-year prison term, with three years suspended. Le Pen has maintained her innocence, calling the case a "witch hunt" and asserting that her party acted in "complete good faith." However, prosecutors allege she "professionalized" a system of diverting EU funds, a practice initially introduced by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen.

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If I can run, I will -- as long as I can campaign.

Opinion polls suggest the far-right could lead the first round of next year's presidential election, though outcomes for the second round remain divided. Some polls indicate Bardella might perform better than Le Pen, while adversaries believe the veteran politician would pose a sterner challenge.

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This woman is very intelligent, she's not here by chance. And if she does also run for a fourth time, she won't be an opponent we can sneer at