STORY: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrived on Wednesday (February 11) in a Paris court for the defense's closing arguments in an appeal trial, following a conviction of misuse of European Union funds, which could bar her from running in France’s next presidential election.

Earlier this month, prosecutors in the appeal trial requested a five-year ban on running for public office for Le Pen, but said this should not be enforced immediately.

This leaves the question of Le Pen's 2027 presidential election candidacy wide open if the appeals court, when it delivers its ruling in the coming months, follows the prosecutors' requests. It has no obligation to do so.

The initial ruling, in March last year, was a major setback for Le Pen as it banned her from running for office for five years, effective immediately.

In that ruling, a court said that Le Pen had been "at the heart" of a scheme to misappropriate more than 4 million euros of EU funds and use them to pay the far-right party's staff back home.

Little more than 14 months before the presidential election, polls indicate National Rally (RN) party leaders Jordan Bardella or Marine Le Pen have a solid shot at power after a decades-long march from fringe movement to mainstream force.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: FRENCH FAR-RIGHT LEADER, MARINE LE PEN, ARRIVING AT PARIS COURT FOR LAST DAY OF APPEALS TRIAL FOR CONVICTION OVER MISUSE OF EU FUNDS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 11, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. FRENCH FAR-RIGHT LEADER, MARINE LE PEN, ARRIVING IN COURT, WALKING TOWARDS COURTROOM FOR LAST DAY OF APPEALS TRIAL

2. LE PEN WALKING INTO COURTROOM

3. SIGN FOR APPEALS COURT

4. POLICE AND LAWYERS OUTSIDE COURTROOM

5. POLICE

6. VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE COURTROOM

7. SIGN INSIDE COURT