French court allows far-right leader Marine Le Pen to run for president with ankle tag — a condition she rejects

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen will be able to run in France’s presidential election next year, though her involvement remained in doubt Tuesday after a Paris appeals court upheld her conviction for misusing European Union funds.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen will be able to run in France’s presidential election next year, though her involvement remained in doubt Tuesday after a Paris appeals court upheld her conviction for misusing European Union funds.

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The court shortened her ban on running for elected office, potentially reopening the path for her to run. However it ruled she must wear an electronic ankle tag for a year, making a campaign both logistically and politically difficult.

Le Pen herself appeared to rule out a run if she was forced to wear a tag. “If I’m allowed to be a candidate but am effectively prevented from campaigning freely, then you understand that wouldn’t be possible,” she said in an interview last week.