Le Pen supporters rally in Paris, turning a protest into a populist show
of force
[April 07, 2025]
By THOMAS ADAMSON
PARIS (AP) — Convicted of embezzling public funds and banned from
running for office, far-right politician Marine Le Pen stood unshaken
before a sea of French flags in Paris on Sunday. “For 30 years I have
fought against injustice,” she told the crowd. “And I will continue to
fight.”
Thousands of supporters gathered at Place Vauban, near the golden dome
of Les Invalides and the tomb of Napoleon, for what was billed as a
protest — but observers said it had all the markings of a campaign
rally.
The National Rally, Le Pen's party, organized the event in response to
what it calls a politically motivated verdict. But with chants of
“Marine Présidente!” and “They won’t steal 2027 from us,” the message
was clear: this was more than a protest. It was a show of populist
defiance aimed squarely at France’s institutions.
Bardella sharpens the attack
At the heart of that charge stood Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 29-year-old
protégé and president of the National Rally. His speech was fiery,
accusing France’s judges of trying to silence the opposition.
“March 29 was a dark day for France,” he said, referencing the date of
Le Pen’s conviction. “The people must be free to choose their leaders —
without interference from political judges.”
Though he claimed the party would respect democracy, Bardella denounced
magistrates’ unions and warned of “a system determined to crush
dissent.” Supporters carried signs reading “Justice taking orders” and
“Stop the judicial dictatorship.” Others wore “Je suis Marine” ("I am
Marine") shirts or compared Le Pen to U.S. President Donald Trump, who
was convicted of civil fraud: “Trump can run — why not Marine?”
“The system’s not broken — it’s rigged,” said Alice Triquet, a
26-year-old bartender. “If they can do this to her, what stops them from
coming after anyone who doesn’t think like them?”
One woman raised a handmade scale of justice, its arms bent and broken —
a symbol of what Le Pen's supporters see as a justice system turned
against the people.
A nation divided over justice and power
Le Pen was found guilty of using European Parliament funds to pay party
staff in France — a scheme the court described as “a democratic bypass.”
She was sentenced to four years in prison, including two under house
arrest and two suspended, and banned from public office for five years,
effective immediately. Her appeal is expected next year.
The reaction has been sharply divided. While National Rally supporters
denounce the ruling as politically motivated, many outside the party see
it as legitimate accountability. “I challenge the notion that there is a
tsunami of support for Le Pen on this issue,” said John Goodman, Ph.D.,
director of Syracuse University’s flagship program in France.
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He also criticized the unusually rapid pace of Le Pen's appeal. “Her
appeal has been fast-tracked so it can be heard in the summer of
2026, well before the 2027 presidential election, and significantly
faster than a typical criminal case,” Goodman said.
Warnings of a ‘Trumpist turn’
On the other side of the Seine, hundreds gathered for a
counter-rally led by left-wing parties, warning that France’s far
right is embracing U.S.-style authoritarianism.
“This is bigger than Marine Le Pen,” said Green Party leader Marine
Tondelier. “It’s about defending the rule of law from people who
think justice is optional.”
Placards read “No Trumpism in France” and “Anti-fascist response.”
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal addressed supporters
at a meeting of the center-right Renaissance party in the Paris
suburb of Saint-Denis, calling the moment “a test of the Republic.”
Former PM Edouard Philippe stood by his side.
Though police were out in force, only minor clashes were reported.
The real message: trust the people, not the courts
Beyond the legal battle, Sunday’s gathering of the National Rally
revealed a deeper strategy. Party leaders have spent the week
accusing judges of plotting a “judicial coup.” They’ve called the
sentence a political “execution.” The goal is not just to overturn
the ruling — it’s to convince voters the legal system itself can’t
be trusted.
It’s a page from the Trump playbook: paint the courts as biased, the
system as broken, and frame any legal setback as an attack on
democracy. The ballot box becomes the only authority that matters.
“The judges wear robes, but they’re just politicians in disguise,”
said Claude Morel, 68, a pensioner from the southern city of
Marseille. “Let the people decide.”
What comes next
Le Pen may be barred from running — for now — but her political
machine is far from finished. Bardella, long seen as her polished
understudy, is stepping into the spotlight with growing confidence
and sharpened rhetoric.
“We will be here tomorrow,” he told the crowd. “And we will be
stronger.”
Sunday’s rally was more than a show of strength. It was a test: can
the far right convince enough French voters that justice is no
longer neutral, and that only they can return power to the people?
How that question is answered may shape not only the 2027
presidential race — but the future of French democracy.
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