'This Will Backfire': Elon Musk On Marine Le Pen’s Five-Year Ban From French Elections

Last Updated:March 31, 2025, 21:44 IST

Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement of public funds, jeopardising her 2027 presidential hopes. Many far-right leaders from across the world, including Musk, criticised the ruling.

Elon Musk responded to Marine Le Pen's conviction and election ban. (Reuters)

Prominent European far-right and nationalist figures as well as Elon Musk on Monday rallied around Marine Le Pen after a French court sentenced her to a five-year ban on running for office.

Le Pen was convicted over a scheme to take advantage of European Parliament expenses to employ assistants who were actually working for her far-right party in France.

Le Pen as well as the other officials from her party were banned from running for office, with the judge specifying that the sanction should come into force with immediate effect even if an appeal is lodged.

Tesla’s billionaire owner Elon Musk, who has backed a far-right party in Germany and plays a major role in US President Donald Trump’s administration, said the move would “backfire, like the legal attacks against President Trump".

“Je suis Marine!" (“I’m Marine") Hungarian nationalist leader Viktor Orban posted in French on X, echoing the cry “Je suis Charlie" widely used to denounce a 2015 Islamist attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper in Paris.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the verdict reinforced the view that “more and more European capitals are going down the path of violating democratic norms".

On Monday, Le Pen received a four-year prison sentence for embezzling European parliament funds. Her lawyer said she will appeal.

Le Pen will not serve time in prison. Two years of her sentence was suspended, and the other two are to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet, the court ruled.

Jordan Bardella, leader of Le Pen’s Rally (RN) party, said on X that French democracy was being “executed".

Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders also voiced shock at “the incredibly tough verdict".

Marine Le Pen ‘Will Be French President’

“I support and believe in her for the full 100 percent and I trust she will win the appeal and become President of France," Wilders posted in English on X.

Spain’s far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal also offered his support, saying “They will never succeed to silence the voice of the French people". Abascal hosted Le Pen, Orban and other far-right leaders in Madrid in February.

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said on X that “just like in my case, the verdict was not about the law — it was about politics". Dodik was convicted last month for defying the international envoy tasked with overseeing the peace accords that ended Bosnia’s civil war in the 1990s.

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

Le Pen’s Rally has distanced itself from the AfD after the German party was caught up in several controversies, including accusations of illicit ties to Russia and China.

‘Declaration Of War’

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the League party Matteo Salvini called the court’s ruling a “declaration of war by Brussels".

“A bad film that we are also seeing in other countries like Romania," wrote Salvini on social media. “We don’t let ourselves be intimidated, we don’t stop: full speed ahead my friend!"

Far-right Romanian politician George Simion, who is running for president in May, said: “Targeting or annihilating your political opponent by any means is straight out of the instruction manual of totalitarian regimes".

Romania’s electoral bureau in early March rejected the candidacy of far-right politician Calin Georgescu for a re-run of presidential elections in May.

The fierce EU and NATO critic shot to prominence last November, when he unexpectedly topped a first round of presidential voting before the constitutional court annulled the election after claims of Russian interference and a “massive" social media promotion.

Georgescu, who denies any links to Moscow, has slammed the vote annulment as a “formalised coup d’etat".

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News world 'This Will Backfire': Elon Musk On Marine Le Pen’s Five-Year Ban From French Elections