Marine Le Pen faces possible ban from next presidential election
Make no mistake, Marine Le Pen's political fate hangs in the balance this morning.
Few expect the Paris criminal court to clear her on all counts in the EU parliamentary money affair given the damning evidence laid out during the trial.
But guilt is not the issue here. The number one 'sword of Damocles' hanging over her is an automatic five-year ban from holding electoral office.
In her words, it would spell her 'political death' and would upend French politics just two years before presidential elections that Le Pen is increasingly confident she can win. An Ifop poll yesterday placed her way out in front in voter intentions for the first round.
The feeling even amongst the party faithful is that 29-year-old dauphin Jordan Bardella doesn't have the experience and stature to fill her shoes should she be disqualified.
Anything short of automatic ineligibility could work in Le Pen's favour, however, as it will likely galvanise supporters who - like Trump fans - see the trial as a political cabal and allow her to fight on, down but not out.
The clock is ticking.
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