France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been sentenced to prison, pending appeal, and is banned from office for five years after she was found guilty of embezzling $3 million.
Mabel Berezin, professor of sociology at Cornell University and an expert on international populism, says Le Pen’s conviction is going to push French politics into even more tumult.
Berezin says: “After three previous tries, Marine Le Pen was one track to be competitive, if not successful, in the 2027 Presidential election. This conviction will now appear as a political ploy to eliminate her from the competition.
“Since her first run for president in 2012, Le Pen has built up a serious center-right political following. Her elimination from the next race will backfire and not have the effects that what is left of the political establishment are hoping for. I think it will challenge, rather than help, French democracy.”
For interviews contact Adam Allington, cell 231-620-7180; adam.allington@Cornell.edu.
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