French far-right politician Marine Le Pen has announced she will run for her country's presidency next year, hours after a court ruling. Le Pen, who was found guilty of misappropriation of public funds, said she will appeal to France's highest court against an embezzlement conviction which would require her to wear an electronic tag for a year.
"I can't campaign with a tag. I want to pursue all legal avenues to defend my innocence in this case," she said.
On Tuesday, a court of appeal declared the far-right leader guilty of embezzlement and fined her €100,000 ($114,000). The court also cut her prison sentence from four years to three, two of which are suspended, adding that the one year is to be served under house arrest with an electronic monitor.
Le Pen, leader of the National Rally party, was accused of having had the European Parliament, where she served as an MEP from 2004 to 2017, pay four parliamentary assistants who actually worked for her party, rather than on parliamentary business, French newspaper Le Monde reported.
Le Pen's party, the newspaper added, was also sentenced, as a legal entity, to a €2 million fine, including €1 million suspended. It has also ordered an additional €1 million to be confiscated.
