France's High Judicial Council has condemned threats against magistrates involved in the case of Marine Le Pen, chairwoman of the parliamentary group of the far-right National Rally party. In a statement, the council stressed that such threats are unacceptable in a democratic society, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The council expressed concern about the violent reactions to the court ruling, warning that such pressure could threaten the independence of the judiciary.
Earlier today, a court in Paris found Le Pen guilty of charges of misuse of European funds and imposed a five-year ban on holding public office. This effectively excludes the possibility that she is running for the French presidential election in 2027, Agence France-Presse notes.
Le Pen's lawyer, Rodolphe Beauselu, said he would insist that the case for appealing her conviction be heard before the election. In an interview with French television station BFM, he stressed that Le Pen, who is leading in opinion polls for 2027, was shocked by the court ruling, Reuters reports.