Political earthquake: Western media on court ruling against Marine Le Pen

Western media have reacted to the court ruling against Marine Le Pen, Leader of the French far-right National Rally party. The court’s decision means she will not be able to run for the upcoming French presidential elections.

However, she has maintained a leading position in polls, Reuters notes. The agency reports that Le Pen’s ruling could significantly change the political landscape in France.

As France 24 points out, the court decision to bar Le Pen from running for five years is a “political earthquake” for the country, “turning the tide.” Politico says Le Pen now faces a dilemma: “to seek revenge or to help her party.”

“The decision could have far-reaching consequences for French politics, fundamentally altering the race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron and increasing pressure on his minority government, which has been weakened by months of crises,” Reuters writes.

“She [Le Pen] removed the old symbols of the French far-right movement, smoothed out its rough edges, and instead built a refined and disciplined machine with one goal: to win the presidential seat,” France 24 writes.

The channel highlights that Le Pen’s ruling has been condemned in the Kremlin, Washington, and by “far-right European politicians,” including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as noted by journalists.