Marine Le Pen launches presidential bid despite conviction and faces legal clash over 'Renaissance' slogan

Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy for the French presidency on 7 July 2026, the same day she was declared eligible despite a recent appeal conviction for misuse of public funds. The court sentenced her to a one‑year home‑restriction with an electronic bracelet, but the ruling is under appeal and has not yet barred her from running.

The RN campaign poster displaying the slogan “Pour la France - La Renaissance” prompted the party Renaissance, led by former prime minister Gabriel Attal, to file a lawsuit alleging improper use of its name and trademark. RN deputy Jean‑Philippe Tanguy dismissed the legal action as “pathétique,” accusing Attal of diverting attention from the government’s record on issues such as the heat‑wave response.

The dispute adds a legal dimension to Le Pen’s campaign, which already raises questions about the compatibility of a convicted leader holding the highest office and the potential impact on the integrity of French democratic institutions.