Macron defends judicial independence after Le Pen verdict
According to a government spokesperson, French President Emmanuel Macron upheld the independence of the judiciary amid increasing criticism of Marine Le Pen's corruption conviction on Monday.
“The judiciary is independent. It makes its decisions in complete independence, and therefore, it must be respected as a pillar of our democracy,” government spokesperson Sophie Primas said Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
“Everyone has the right to equal justice and that the law applies the same to everyone,” she added.
Primas also commented on Premier Francois Bayrou's concerns about the immediate enforcement of certain sentences, including the one handed down to right-wing leader Le Pen, who was seen as a front-runner for the 2027 presidential elections.
“The concerns expressed by the prime minister do not relate to the ruling itself,” she said.
Primas said his concern was about the possibility of appealing the entire sentence and, more specifically, about the issue of immediate enforcement.
Le Pen, 56, was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzling EU funds.
She was also handed a four-year prison sentence, including two years with an electronic tag and the remainder suspended, and was fined €100,000 ($108,200).
The conviction sparked an international backlash, with judges in the trial receiving threats.
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