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Marine Le Pen.Credit…Thibaud Moritz/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, was found guilty of embezzlement yesterday and disqualified from running for public office for five years.

The verdict set off a crisis that could lead to new political turmoil in France. It effectively knocked Le Pen, France’s most popular politician, according to the polls, out of the 2027 presidential election.

The decision infuriated Le Pen, an anti-immigrant, nationalist politician who has already mounted three failed presidential bids. She claimed that the ruling was a “political” attempt to thwart her and vowed to fight back despite slim chances of legal success. “I’m not going to submit to a democratic denial so easily,” she said angrily.

Context: The court ruled that Le Pen played a “central role” in an illegal scheme to use millions of euros of European Parliament funds for party expenses from 2004 to 2016. Le Pen was a member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2017.

Analysis: Millions of Le Pen supporters are now adrift and angry, our Paris bureau chief, Roger Cohen, writes. France could see a gale of political protests, as well as an attack from the global far right.

Reactions: Across Europe, hard-right leaders sharply criticized the court’s decision. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, posted “Je suis Marine!” (“I am Marine!”) on social media.

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