The verdict against Le Pen

French editorials divided: Victory for democracy – or the other way around?

The verdict against Marine Le Pen seems to be dividing France’s opinion writers along fairly predictable lines.

The centrist Le Monde writes that it is ironic that it is precisely Le Pen’s supporters and friends abroad who are outraged by the court’s decision.

“The same people who advocate zero tolerance for crime become outraged when one of their own is involved, as if they want politicians to be above the law.”

In the left-wing newspaper Humanité, Stéphane Sahuc calls the verdict “a victory for democracy and the rule of law.”

In the far-right newspaper Valeurs Actuelles, Laurence Sailliet writes almost the exact opposite. The fact that the verdict against Le Pen comes into force immediately, before it has had a chance to be appealed, risks giving people the impression that the legal system is being used to silence political enemies. Whether that is true or not.

“This neither strengthens the legal system nor democracy. It weakens both.”

First polls: No huge shock among residents

A majority of French people are not shocked by the verdict against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, according to two quick polls conducted by the television channel BFM TV and the newspaper Le Figaro.

A reasonable legal decision given the facts that have been on the table, 57 percent of French people believe, according to the BFMTV survey. But 42 percent believe that the verdict was influenced by an ambition to stop Le Pen from running in the next election.

In the Le Figaro survey, 61 percent of French people, and 57 percent of supporters of Le Pen's party, say that the verdict does not weaken the National Rally.

Le Pen is convicted of embezzling public funds. The money was supposed to go to assistants in the European Parliament, but was instead spent on domestic politics.