PARIS (AP) — For years, Marine Le Pen stood at the gates of power — poised, relentless and rising. She stripped the French far right of its old symbols, sanded down its roughest edges and built in its place a sleek, disciplined machine with the single goal of winning the country’s presidency.

France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement and barred from running in elections for five years.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been barred from holding office for five years after she was found guilty of embezzlement. The court’s decision ended her political dreams of running for the next French president’s post in 2027.

French far right leader Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement and barred from running for public office for five years, facing a fine and a prison sentence as well. Le Pen plans to appeal.

For generations, Marine Le Pen’s family have held the reins of France’s nationalist party. Now Le Pen must decide whether to fight for her political future or make way for a successor.

The home address of Benedicte de Perthuis - the head of a three-judge panel that found Le Pen guilty of embezzling EU funds and handed her a five-year ban on seeking public office - was shared online after she delivered her ruling on Monday, the source said. She is now receiving police protection at work and at home.

Le Pen, the National Rally and two dozen party figures were accused of diverting more than 4 million euros ($4.33 million) of European Parliament funds to

A French court found far-right leader Marine Le Pen guilty on Monday of misappropriating EU funds and the sentencing expected shortly could see her barred from the 2027 presidential race, upending politics in France.