Marine Le Pen – knocked off course

Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader, has been banned from standing for office for five years and sentenced to jail after being convicted of embezzling EU funds. She was handed a four-year jail sentence, of which two years are suspended, would only begin once no further legal recourse after appeals remains. She was also fined €100,000. The court ruling is likely to block Le Pen from running in the 2027 presidential election, for which she was one of the favourites.  Born 5 August