Le Pen calls ban on running for public office 'political decision'

Meanwhile, in France, leader of the right-wing National Rally party and presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzlement and barred from running in the 2027 presidential election.

Le Pen has denounced the court's decision as politically motivated and says she will appeal the ruling.

"What she is doing here is she’s saying ‘I am going to make you ineligible straight away and I’m doing it precisely to stop you from being able to be elected president'. If that’s not a political decision, I don’t know what it is."

On Monday local time, a French court found Le Pen guilty of embezzling European Union funds.

The court sentenced her to four years in prison, with two years suspended, imposed a 108,000 U.S. dollar fine, and prohibited her from holding public office for five years.

This ruling effectively disqualifies her from the 2027 presidential race.