Le Pen guilty of embezzlement

I doubt it. Mike Maignan is doing a good job. :grinning:

On what grounds?

If her interview on TF1 is anything to go by, on the grounds that she’s innocent.

Surely that she thinks she’s innocent.

She wants others to think she’s innocent

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Remembering that in France Everyone has the Right to Appeal a Judgement against them…
here is an interesting slant…

Why is Le Pen getting special treatment, when others have to wait several years to have their Appeal… ?? :wink:

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The first rule of populism: never allow any perception of doubt that your cause is just and you’re the victim.

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But that’s not how appeals work. If it was the court backlogs would be multiplying. You need to have grounds for an appeal. I’m sure that her legal team will find something but not liking the outcome doesn’t give a right to appeal.

According to the latest briefing from John Lichfield at The Local, she and her party were warned that what they were doing illegal but continued nevertheless.
If that comes out at her appeal she is dead in the water.

I’m going to defer to my learned friend on this one as I have no knowledge of valid grounds for appeal in France other than to note what LePen herself said on TV.

And you’re not in the habit of believing me.

Of the three of us who commented, I don’t know either way, Stella has made a definitive statement, which I have no reason to doubt since she has a good track record on matters of life in France, and you’ve shared a view.

I’ve only shared the rationale offered by the criminal.

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Thanks for this Stella.

Interesting article.

Personally I think it’s a sound, if perhaps pragmatic decision to fast track her appeal and should undermine a lot of the spurious arguments about ‘thwarting the will of the people.’

Le Pen’s getting privileged treatment that she’s unlikely to acknowledge or thank anyone for, but presumably if nothing else has changed, the original verdict will stand and justice will have been seen to be done (even if that won’t be recognised by everyone).

Wait for the complaint that she’s being victimised because it was fast-tracked and she was rushed into it with insufficient preparation time.

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I think you forgot to add :sweat_smile::joy::rofl:

I would be surprised if she serves time. Does the RN stand as good a chance in the next election if someone else takes the helm? Does anyone anticipate unrest as a result of the verdict?

I think that’s a question that’s impossible to have a meaningful answer at present because there are too many unknowns.

Apart from not knowing what might happen in the interim, there’s uncertainty over whom would be standing against her/him.

And then of course there’s the strength and direction of public reaction if her appeal is rejected - ‘criminal’, or ‘victim’?

Lastly, there is the question of whether or not the relatively inexperienced Bordello (sorry can’t stop myself) would be as strong a candidate.

The right wing sentiments are not going away, especially in the south, any time soon, so anyone that picks up the banner will have a ready made following. Which leader, or which party is a matter of time.

He just seems to be a poster boy to me to attract more young people. As you say, not much experience in politics overall and as for running this country, god help us all!