French far-right leader Le Pen launches presidential campaign despite conviction

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally party, kicked off her presidential campaign on Wednesday, just a day after announcing her candidacy and facing a recent conviction for embezzlement. Addressing supporters in La Flèche, a town won by her party in municipal elections, Le Pen downplayed criticisms of her bid.

“

The court has restored my eligibility. I am innocent and have appealed to the Court of Cassation to prove my innocence.

Le Pen was convicted on appeal Tuesday in a case involving fictitious jobs at the European Parliament. However, the court authorized her to run for president. She announced plans to appeal the ruling to France's Court of Cassation, which allows her to avoid electronic monitoring during the campaign. "The court has restored my eligibility. I am innocent and have appealed to the Court of Cassation to prove my innocence," Le Pen stated. "One must take risks to win."

The 57-year-old politician is preparing for her fourth presidential run, with her anti-immigration party viewing this election as its best chance to gain power. Le Pen dismissed concerns that the Court of Cassation might reject her appeal before the election, choosing instead to concentrate on the policy platform she hopes will secure her victory at the Élysée Palace. "I am not going to spend the presidential campaign offering legal analyses," she declared. "If my political adversaries have no other arguments than those, it means that, deep down, they have absolutely nothing to offer the French."

“

One must take risks to win.

While Le Pen received an enthusiastic welcome from her supporters, she also faced jeers from dozens of left-wing activists holding signs reading "Le Pen, convicted." Her running mate, Jordan Bardella, 30, stood by her side. Bardella, highly popular among right-wing voters, is considered the leading contender for prime minister if Le Pen wins the presidency. He stated he feels neither relief nor disappointment at not being his party's candidate.

“

I am not going to spend the presidential campaign offering legal analyses. If my political adversaries have no other arguments than those, it means that, deep down, they have absolutely nothing to offer the French.