French court to rule on Le Pen appeal by April 2027 election deadline

France's highest court will decide the fate of far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen's appeal by early April 2027, just before voters head to the polls. The Court of Cassation announced its timeline on Wednesday, adding a dramatic potential twist to the election campaign.

Le Pen faces a one-year suspended prison sentence and a ban from public office after a lower court upheld a conviction for misusing European Parliament funds. She allegedly paid parliamentary assistants for work that benefited her political party rather than state affairs.

Le Pen, who is currently favored to win the election according to polls, has vowed to appeal the decision. She maintains that the French public is aware of the case's details, which has been ongoing for a decade, and believes it will not sway voter opinion. Despite the legal challenges, a recent poll suggests she would win the first round decisively and defeat former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in the second round with 54% of the vote.

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