Paris [France], March 31 : A French court has found National Rally leader Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzling European Union funds, Al Jazeera reported on Monday.
As per Al Jazeera, the Paris court ruled that Le Pen used more than 3 million euros (USD 3.3m) of the European Parliament funds for paying the members of her National Rally party.
The ruling therefore threatens to push her out of the 2027 presidential race, in which she is currently the front-runner, according to opinion polls cited by Al Jazeera.
The sentencing could see Le Pen be declared ineligible to run for the office.
According to Al Jazeera, she has accused the prosecutors of seeking her "political death". Notably, a jail sentence and heavy financial penalty are also possible.
According to CNN, the court's president, Benedicte de Perthuis, said Le Pen's actions amounted to a "serious and lasting attack on the rules of democratic life in Europe, but especially in France."
Le Pen left the courtroom before her sentence had been read out in full.
Currently a member of the French parliament, Le Pen was found guilty alongside eight MEPs from her party and 12 assistants. They were accused of using European Parliament money to pay staff who were in fact working for her political party, the National Rally (RN), in France.
As per CNN, the Paris prosecutor had requested a prison sentence of five years, including two suspended; a Euros 300,000 (USD 3,25,000) fine and ineligibility to run for office for five years. Prosecutors had requested the ban to stand even if she appeals.
According to previous polls, it was seen that Le Pen was on course to replace Emmanuel Macron, who will be unable to seek a third consecutive term in office.
Under her leadership, the RN has attempted to distance itself from its racist and antisemitic roots, hoping to give the party a more acceptable - and potentially electable - face, CNN reported.