In a stunning turn of political events in France, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally (RN), has faced a judicial blow that could effectively end her ambitions for the presidency in 2027. This ruling, which bars Le Pen from running for public office, was not entirely unexpected, given the timing and the context surrounding the decisions made by France's Constitutional Council. What makes this case even more intriguing—and controversial—is the involvement of Richard Ferrand, a close ally of French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently assumed the role of president of the Constitutional Council.
Le Pen's fate was sealed by a court that found her and other National Rally Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) guilty. Although the ruling appears to be grounded in legal concerns, the situation has raised suspicions of political interference. Critics argue that Le Pen"s decision to abstain from voting in the presidential election earlier, handing Macron a victory, was a critical misstep that has now come back to haunt her. But the real twist lies in the fact that Ferrand, Macron's confidant, now holds the reins of the Constitutional Council—an institution that is tasked with determining the eligibility of candidates for public office.
Richard Ferrand, who has been a loyal ally of President Macron for years, was appointed president of the Constitutional Council on March 8, 2025. Ferrand, previously the leader of Macron's parliamentary group in the National Assembly, has long been considered one of Macron's most trusted advisors. This was evident when he dropped his membership from Macron's Renaissance party only a few months ago to accept the high-profile, yet politically charged, appointment to head the Constitutional Council.
Ironically, Ferrand's appointment was secured by a single vote in parliament—thanks to the abstention of Le Pen's party, the National Rally. In essence, Le Pen and her allies handed Ferrand the win by not voting against him, which led many to wonder if this would come back to bite her.
As a result of Ferrand's leadership of the Constitutional Council, Le Pen is now barred from running for the presidency in 2027—despite the fact that she is one of the leading contenders in recent polls. This decision, which occurred just days before her conviction, has serious implications for the French political landscape.
The timing of the ruling was particularly suspicious. Just before Le Pen's court case reached its final stages, the Constitutional Council decided that individuals found guilty of crimes could be immediately banned from running for office—without the option to appeal. This move effectively wiped out Le Pen's potential bid for the presidency, and it is not lost on many that Macron's close associate, Ferrand, played a central role in the decision.
The question on many minds is whether the swift action taken by the Constitutional Council was politically motivated. The ruling effectively eliminates one of Macron's most formidable opponents in the upcoming presidential race, opening the path for Macron's influence to persist in the French political scene.
Ferrand's appointment and his rapid ascent to the presidency of the Constitutional Council represent a broader strategy by President Macron to consolidate power and maintain control over French politics. Ferrand is not just any politician—he has long been one of Macron's closest allies, and his recent comments about amending the French constitution to allow Macron to run for a third term in office only raise more questions about the true motives behind these moves.
Le Pen's abstention from the vote in February may have been a tactical blunder that ultimately played into Macron's hands. At a time when her political career was facing increasing scrutiny, Le Pen failed to recognise the significance of the vote that handed Ferrand his position. This moment of political naivety may have sealed her fate, as it allowed Macron to place one of his most trusted allies in a critical position, one that now seems to have the power to decide her future.
While Ferrand's appointment might have been technically legal, it speaks to the increasing politicisation of France's institutions, particularly the Constitutional Council. With figures like Ferrand leading this powerful body, there are growing concerns that the council's decisions may no longer be impartial. Many commentators argue that Ferrand's presence, alongside other Macron allies, creates an environment where critical decisions are made with a clear political bias, rather than on the basis of law and justice alone.
Additionally, the decision to bar individuals from running for office immediately after being found guilty, without allowing for the appeals process, raises important constitutional questions. Such decisions could have far-reaching consequences on the French political system, potentially creating a precedent for future government actions that favour the ruling establishment while silencing opposition voices.
While the ruling against Le Pen is being seen as a victory for Macron and his political allies, it may also have lasting ramifications for the French political system. By effectively eliminating one of the top contenders for the presidency in 2027, Macron is ensuring that he continues to shape the future of France according to his vision. However, this manoeuvre could backfire. It remains to be seen whether this decision will further embolden the far-Right and create a groundswell of support for Le Pen or her successors, which could turn the public against Macron's political dominance.
Le Pen's case serves as a reminder of the high stakes in modern political battles, where the control of key institutions can determine the outcome of presidential races. The ruling against her—and the role played by Macron's ally Ferrand—suggests that political alliances can carry a heavy weight in shaping the future of French governance, whether voters like it or not.
In the end, Le Pen's failure to recognise the significance of Ferrand's appointment—and her own abstention in the vote—may have sealed her political fate. While Macron may have succeeded in removing a major challenger from the 2027 race, this move underscores the complex and often controversial role that institutions like the Constitutional Council can play in determining the future of a country's democracy.
The events surrounding Le Pen's disqualification should serve as a cautionary tale to all political figures: in the modern political landscape, power and influence often go hand in hand.
"After a Paris court found nine National Rally (RN) MEPs, including Marine Le Pen, guilty and banned Le Pen from running for public office, critics are not surprised. After all, French President Macron's close confidant heads the council that decided Le Pen's fate, and she abstained from the vote on his presidency, handing him his win.
The ruling essentially takes out the top contender for the presidential race in 2027, with Le Pen leading recent polls. And this is clearly good news for Macron.
Richard Ferrand, a member of Macron's Renaissance party, just recently took up the role of president of the Constitutional Council on March 8. He previously served as leader of the party's group (then known as La République En Marche!) in France's National Assembly and also parliamentary president. He is considered one of Macron's closest advisors.
After dropping his party membership a few months ago, Macron appointed Ferrand as his nominee to head up the Constitutional Council in February, which then had to be approved by parliament. He was ironically voted in as president by a single vote, with Le Pen's party abstaining, thus handing him the win.
Now, the council has ruled that Le Pen cannot run in the 2027 presidential election, without even waiting for a final binding decision.
At the time of the vote for the council president back in February, Politico had reported that "National Rally spokesperson Bryan Masson told reporters that Ferrand had 'reassured' far-right lawmakers during his confirmation hearing."
At stake was the fact that the council was set to decide whether or not it was constitutional for defendants to be found ineligible to run for public office before exhausting their appeals options.
On Friday, March 28, the council ruled that defendants can be barred from office immediately if found guilty of a crime, just ahead of Le Pen's conviction on Monday.
According to Mandiner, Ferrand gave an interview to Le Figaro in 2023, in which he openly argued for amending the French constitution to allow Macron to run for a third term as president.
A piece in Le Monde back in February shed further light on the current council, stating that if Ferrand, along with two other nominees (Philippe Bas and Laurence Vichnievsky), were all confirmed, it could drastically alter the balance on the council. "These biases could weaken the institution in the future when it comes to deciding on highly political issues," they wrote. As of now, it appears only Vichnievsky has not yet been confirmed."
"National Rally leader Marine Le Pen's prospects of standing to become the next president of France in 2027 was given a boost as the Paris Court of Appeal said it will look to decide whether to uphold or scrap the ban on her from elections by next year.
In a press release on Tuesday evening, the Paris Court of Appeal said that it will decide by the "summer of 2026" on Marine Le Pen's appeal against the ruling this week to ban her from standing in any election for the next five years over a controversial embezzlement conviction over EU funds during her time as a member of the European Parliament.
"The Paris Court of Appeal confirms having received today three appeals filed against the decision rendered on March 31, 2025, by the Paris judicial court in the case of the parliamentary assistants of the National Front. It will examine this file within a time frame which should allow a decision to be rendered in the summer of 2026," the court said, according to Le Figaro.
Responding to the decision, Le Pen said it was "very good news". However, she went on to say that she intends to challenge the ruling in other venues as well, including France's Constitutional Council and the European Court of Human Rights.
"I will use all possible avenues of appeal. I won't let it happen," she told Le Parisien.
While other politicians in France have faced similar bans from running for office after being convicted of similar offences, such as former Prime Minister François Fillon, none have been on the scale of Le Pen's case, given her status as the clear frontrunner to become the country's next president.
She has also argued that the move by the court to enact the ban on her seeking office during the appeal is a violation of the rule of law, as those in the appeal process are typically afforded the presumption of innocence, and therefore, enacting the ban during the appeal ignores such precedent. In addition to facing an election ban, Le Pen was also sentenced to a four-year prison sentence and a 100,000 euro fine for allegedly using EU funds to pay for political activities in France.
The former head of the centre-right Les Républicains, Éric Ciotti, who broke ranks with his party last year to side with Le Pen and the National Rally during the legislative elections, said that he intends to table a motion in the French parliament to disallow the legislature to impose a provisional ban on candidates running for office during the appeal process, as the Paris court did in Le Pen's case.
Commenting on the prospect of Ciotti's measure to reject the legality of the pre-emptive ban in the National Assembly, Le Pen said that she has a "tenuous hope" that other politicians would show the "courage" to reject the principle of using lawfare against political candidates.
The populist leader noted that even fierce political rivals, such as far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have objected to the Paris court's decision as undermining the democratic process. Yet, Le Pen acknowledged that many may choose to abstain from the vote, so as not to contradict their public statements but to still rid themselves of a major political foe.
Barring the National Assembly siding with her or a successful appeal, there is potentially still one more avenue left open for Le Pen to take power. If she is still banned from entering the presidential race in 2027, the torch would likely be passed to her longstanding deputy and current president of her National Rally party, Jordan Bardella.
Bardella, 29, a loyal devotee of Le Pen's, had long been tapped as her eventual successor. The stated planned transfer of power within the party was intended to occur after Le Pen's final bid to win the presidency, putting Bardella on pace to become the candidate to replace her in 2032. However, with the legal troubles facing Le Pen, Bardella could be forced into running earlier than expected.
While Bardella had been on course to serve as Le Pen's prime minister in 2027, should he win the presidency instead, Bardella could appoint Le Pen as his prime minister. This is the second most powerful role in the French system, and it typically involves leading the domestic government and introducing legislation.
Following the ruling to ban her from standing in the election, Bardella refused to rule out the scenario of him becoming president and appointing Le Pen as his prime minister.
However, he said per The Times: "I have always done what she has asked me to do… The French people know I have a debt towards her. I make you a promise this morning: we started this job together and we will finish it together."