Marine Le Pen officially launched her presidential campaign on Wednesday in Paris, despite a newly upheld conviction for embezzlement of European Parliament funds. The far-right National Rally (RN) leader's legal troubles have not diminished her support among voters in towns like Montargis, where residents express a strong desire for political change.
Supporters Unfazed by Conviction
In Montargis, 75 miles south of Paris, retired decorator Jean-Antoine, 76, said he was pleased Le Pen had shaken up French politics. "Even the judges said she didn't personally profit from the money, it was for her party," he remarked. "All politicians in France have always been schemers, it's just a fact of life." He believes voters won't care about the appeal court decision that upheld her guilt in siphoning off over €2.8 million through a fake-jobs scam between 2004 and 2016.
Jean-Antoine's father fled Spain's civil war and fought in the French resistance, yet he now insists "immigration has to stop." His views echo a broader sentiment in Montargis, which elected an RN mayor earlier this year, contributing to the party tripling its control of town halls.
Legal Setback and Campaign Launch
Le Pen's original conviction barred her from office until 2030, but appeal judges shortened that restriction, allowing her to declare her candidacy for the presidential election next year. However, she was ordered to wear an electronic ankle tag for one year with a curfew. She plans to appeal to France's highest court, which will suspend her sentence during the campaign. Snap polling shows her popularity high, positioning her strongly for the two-round vote in April and May. She lost to Emmanuel Macron in 2017 and 2022.
An antiques dealer in his 60s, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "People will still vote for Le Pen because there's massive pressure for change. Immigration, benefits, the healthcare system – none of that is working properly and people have had enough. Le Pen's legal case feels unfair – a leftwing politician wouldn't have been treated the way Le Pen was by the justice system."
Montargis: A Microcosm of Political Shift
Montargis, known for its scenic canals and pralines, was a hotspot for the gilets jaunes protests in 2018-2019, with its new RN mayor, Côme Dunis, then an active participant. In 2023, the town saw unrest after police killed Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan descent. The RN's electoral gain here reflects Le Pen's 15-year effort to detoxify the party's image, including renaming the Front National, while maintaining hardline anti-immigration policies.
Gisèle, 84, a retired gymnastics coach, said fear of crime and drug-dealing is increasing. She is glad Le Pen is running but worries the conviction could hinder her: "I think this could put a brake on her." Christiane, a chiropodist, expressed disappointment that RN president Jordan Bardella, 30, is not running instead. "Bardella is young, he's close to the people, he had a chance. I like Marine Le Pen, but is France really going to elect a president with a conviction?"
Mixed Reactions and Concerns
Céline, a pharmacist and centrist voter, stated: "I don't think it's right to run for French president if you have been convicted." Selma, 48, a mother-of-three whose Tunisian grandfather fought for France in WWII, fears Le Pen's campaign is deepening societal divisions. "Racism is becoming more brazen. The other day I was verbally assaulted in a car park. A woman who wanted my parking spot humiliated me in a racist way, saying she was more French than I was. We're all human and we don't choose our skin colour or our origins."
