Marine Le Pen

Marine Le Pen is a prominent French lawyer and politician.

She is best known for leading the National Rally, formerly called the National Front (FN). She has been a major figure in French politics for many years. Le Pen has run for the presidency of France in three different elections. Her political career has focused on nationalism and changing the image of her party. She has also faced significant legal challenges regarding the use of public funds.

Le Pen's political path began with her legal training and early party work. She studied law at Panthéon-Assas University in Paris. She earned a Master of Laws in 1991 and a Master of Advanced Studies in criminal law in 1992. For six years, she worked as a lawyer and often served as a public defender.

She joined the National Front in 1986 when she was 18 years old. Over the next two decades, she held many roles, including regional councillor and Member of the European Parliament. These roles helped her build a base of support within the party.

In 2011, Le Pen took control of the National Front. She ran for the party leadership against Bruno Gollnisch. She won the election with 67.6% of the vote.

This victory marked a major shift in the party's direction. She succeeded her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the party in 1972. Under her leadership, the party eventually changed its name to the National Rally (RN). This change was part of a larger effort to modernize the organization.

Le Pen introduced a strategy known as "de-demonisation." This process aimed to soften the party's image and make it more acceptable to mainstream voters.

She sought to distance the party from the extreme views of her father. In August 2015, she even expelled him from the party after he made controversial statements. She also changed several policy positions. For instance, the party revoked its opposition to same-sex partnerships and the death penalty. However, she maintained strong stances on anti-immigration and protectionist measures.

Le Pen has been a frequent candidate for the French presidency. In 2012, she finished third with 17.9% of the vote. In 2017, she reached the second round of the election.

In that round, she received 33.9% of the vote and lost to Emmanuel Macron. She ran a third time in 2022. She again reached the second round, receiving 41.5% of the vote.

These results demonstrate her ability to secure a large portion of the French electorate.

Her political views include economic nationalism and opposition to globalization. She advocates for an interventionist role for the government in the economy. Le Pen has also expressed support for limiting immigration and banning ritual slaughter. In the past, she made supportive comments regarding Vladimir Putin and Russia.

While she strongly condemned the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, she suggested Russia could be an ally again if the war ends. She has also expressed support for Israel during the Gaza war.

Despite her political influence, Le Pen has faced serious legal consequences. In March 2025, she was convicted of embezzlement. The court found that she and other officials misappropriated over €4 million in European Parliament funds.

This money was used to fund staff for the National Front. As a result, she was sentenced to four years in prison and a €100,000 fine. She also received a five-year ban from running for political office. This sentence effectively prevents her from running in the 2027 presidential election.