France: Marine Le Pen to run for president despite guilty verdict

Last year, 24 leading members of the National Rally were convicted of embezzlement; the total sentences added up to 32 years of imprisonment, some of it suspended. Around three million euros belonging to the European Parliament had been used to fund party workers around France and not for parliamentary activities in Brussels. Marine Le Pen organized the system of embezzlement.

The lower court sentenced Le Pen to four years imprisonment, half of it suspended. The two years which were not suspended would normally be served as a form of house arrest, with an electronic ankle bracelet to be worn at all times, and leaving home only when specifically authorized by a judge (e.g. for one’s job). She was also fined 100,000 euros and banned from holding public office or standing in elections for five years.

This week, the court of appeal confirmed Le Pen’s guilt, but pronounced a lighter sentence: only three years imprisonment (two suspended, one with strict curfew and ankle tag). And only fifteen months of a ban of standing in an election. Those fifteen months are already over, and so Le Pen announced on national news on the evening of the verdict that she will be standing for president. The court of appeal was influenced by the idea that voters, not judges, should decide who can be elected to high office.

However, it would be almost impossible to campaign with ankle tag and curfew, which the court of appeal decided was to be put in place in the coming weeks. Marine Le Pen’s spectacular attempt at solving this problem is to make one last (entirely frivolous) appeal, which will delay the imposition of the sentence decided.

https://www.counterfire.org/article/france-marine-le-pen-to-run-for-president-despite-guilty-verdict/

I'm not sure who Counterfire is but I see that other sources confirm this story as well.