A French court on Monday sentenced far-right leader Marine Le Pen to a five-year ban on running for office with immediate effect, throwing into doubt her bid to stand for president in 2027.

She was also given a four year prison term but will not go to jail, with two years of the term suspended and the other two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet, the court ruled. The leader of her National Rally (RN) party, Jordan Bardella, said on X that she was the victim of an “unjust” verdict and added that French democracy was being “executed”.