Sarkozy, Tapie, Le Pen: famous cases of ineligibility in France

Marine Le Pen isn't the first prominent French politician to be disqualified from public office. Since it stopped being automatic, it has already affected big names such as like her father, Nicolas Sarkozy, Jacques Chirac, Charles Pasqua, and Bernard Tapie.

This isn't exclusive to right-wing politicians; the disqualification penalty has been imposed by French justice on several dozens of elected officials and public representatives since 1992. It was in 1992 that the concept was introduced into French law. It was even applied automatically for a series of offences until a reform in 2010. Since then, it's a standalone penalty that must be decided on by a judge. It can last up to 5 years for an offence and 10 years for a crime. Here is a small selection of well-known male and female politicians who have been sentenced to this penalty (listed alphabetically).

- Isabelle and Patrick Balkany (centre-right): 10 years in 2019 for the couple from Levallois-Perret following a tax fraud, the penalty was reduced for Mrs Balkany, the same request was made in October 2024 for Mr Balkany.

- Jacques Chirac (centre-right): 1 year in 2011 for embezzlement of public funds and breach of trust.

- Henri Emmanuelli (left): 2 years in 1996 for concealment of influence peddling, re-elected in 2000.

- Pénélope and François Fillon (right): 10 years in 2020 for the former Prime Minister and 3 years for his wife for a case of fictitious jobs, an appeal in April 2025 may yet amend these sanctions.

- Alain Juppé (centre-right): 1 year in 2004 for the former Prime Minister and Mayor of Bordeaux for unlawful benefits from fictitious jobs, re-elected Mayor of Bordeaux in 2006.

- Jean-Marie Le Pen (far-right): 3 years in 1997 for Holocaust denial, 1 year in 1998 for pushing a regional councillor, and 10 years in 2011 for incitement to racial hatred, but some of these sentences were ultimately annulled or reduced.

- Marine Le Pen (far-right): 5 years in 2025 for embezzling European public funds, she can still appeal this decision.

- Charles Pasqua (right): 2 years in 2013 for embezzlement of public funds and unlawful benefits, he passed away before the appeal decision where he would likely have been cleared like another defendant in the same case.

- Nicolas Sarkozy (right and centre-right): 10 years in 2020 for corruption, confirmed by the Court of Cassation, with a final possibility of appeal before the European Court of Human Rights.

- Bernard Tapie (left): 3 years in 1995 for corruption and 5 years in 2020 for fraud, case concluded in October 2021 following his death.

- Georges Tron (right-wing and centre-right) : 6 years in 2021 for rape and sexual assault.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Sources: Wikipedia, Le Point, Le Soir & AFP – Picture: © picture alliance/dpa/MAXPPP | Stéphane Geufroi)