PARIS – French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has accused the judiciary of deploying a "nuclear bomb" to derail her presidential ambitions, adding France to the list of countries where allegations of "lawfare"—judicial interference in politics—are gaining traction. On March 31, a Paris court convicted Le Pen and 24 others from her National Rally (RN) party of embezzling EU funds, imposing an immediate five-year ban on her candidacy. Unless overturned on appeal, this ruling will bar her from the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, her allies, and supporters worldwide—including former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is also banned from office until 2030—claimed the judiciary was meddling in democracy.

Political Reactions and Public Opinion: French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou defended the judiciary, stating that democracy remained intact, though he personally had "questions" about Le Pen’s ban. He suggested that if politicians disagreed with such judicial powers, they should amend the law. Eric Ciotti, an RN-aligned lawmaker, pledged to push for such changes. An Elabe opinion poll for BFM TV revealed 60% of respondents considered the ruling justified, while 42% believed it was politically motivated. Public sentiment was divided, with 42% supporting the verdict, one-third opposing it, and the remainder undecided.

Judicial Integrity and Rising Tensions: Legal expert Mathieu Carpentier from Toulouse Capitole University dismissed claims of judicial bias, stating that the evidence against Le Pen was substantial and her punishment aligned with France’s 2016 anti-corruption laws, which have led to similar bans for other politicians. He emphasized that France’s independent judiciary and appeals process serve as safeguards against political manipulation.

However, Carpentier warned that attacks on the judiciary are escalating. He cited death threats sent to prosecutors and judges involved in Le Pen’s case, particularly Judge Benedicte de Perthuis, whose photo was widely circulated on far-right platforms with derogatory remarks. Paris police confirmed an investigation into the threats.

Global Echoes of ‘Lawfare’ Accusations: Bolsonaro labeled the ruling "pure lawfare", claiming it reflected a global trend where the left uses judicial activism to maintain power. Former U.S. President Donald Trump drew parallels to his own legal troubles, stating, "She was banned for five years, and she's the leading candidate. That sounds very familiar."

Trump, who was never barred from running for office, has consistently called his legal battles a "witch hunt". His ally, Elon Musk, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance have also criticized judicial rulings against right-wing figures in Europe, including Romania’s top court blocking far-right politician Calin Georgescu from the presidential race. At the Munich Security Conference, Vance argued that using the judiciary to silence political opponents undermines democracy. "Censoring rivals or jailing them does not protect democracy—it destroys it," he warned.

Le Pen’s Next Steps: Despite denouncing her conviction, Le Pen has pledged to pursue all legal avenues to reclaim her right to run in 2027. Meanwhile, Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old protege and current RN president, has emerged as the party’s default candidate. He has called for peaceful and democratic mobilization in support of Le Pen.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.