Judge who sentenced Marine Le Pen now under police protection

The judge who delivered the guilty verdict in an embezzlement case against far-right leader Marine Le Pen and barred her from contesting the 2027 French presidential election has reportedly been placed under police protection following threats to her life. The home address of Benedicte de Perthuis, who led the three-judge bench that sentenced Le Pen to four years in prison, was also shared online, as per a recent report.

Le Pen case judge's address leaked online

The judge's address was shared online on Monday after the ruling was delivered on Monday, news agency Reuters reported citing sources. Besides the prison sentence, Le Pen has also been barred from holding any public office for five years. Perthuis is now being provided with police protection at home and at work, Reuters said in a report on Wednesday. Threats targeting the judge were purportedly posted on social media. Her photo was reportedly shared across X and far-right platforms. According to reports, Paris police confirmed that a probe into the threats were initiated.

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Guilty verdict against Le Pen

Le Pen was found guilty alongside 24 other members of her National Rally (RN) party. The court ruled that the far-right leader and her party misused EU funds that were originally meant for European Parliament aides to instead pay RN staff members between 2004 and 2016. Le Pen, who is also the parliamentary leader of RN, will be required to serve two of her four-year prison term outside of jail with an electronic bracelet. The sentence also includes two years of suspended prison term.

Le Pen has alleged witch-hunt

Prior to the ruling, she was the front-runner for the upcoming presidential election. Le Pen, along with her allies, has decried what they claim is a political witch-hunt by the French establishment to derail her chances at presidency. They have accused the judiciary of meddling in France's politics. Le Pen has vowed to challenge the verdict. As of Tuesday, Le Pen and two other convicts in the case had challenged the verdict.

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Macron defends verdict against Le Pen

President Emmanuel Macron has defended the verdict. He asserted before his ministers that the French judiciary is independent, according to a government spokesperson cited by Reuters. The President told his ministers during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that decisions taken by the judiciary deserve the respect the branch deserves as one of the pillars of democracy, as per government spokeswoman Sophie Primas. "The threats made against judges are absolutely unbearable and intolerable," she quoted Macron as saying.

FAQs

1 . What was Marine Le Pen found guilty of?
Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of embezzling EU funds meant for European Parliament aides.


2 . Has she appealed the verdict?
Yes, Marine Le Pen is understood to have challenged the verdict against her.