Goodman Weighs In on French Politician Marine Le Pen’s Conviction in Associated Press Article

April 11, 2025

The Associated Press

John Goodman

Political Science Department

Europe

Government

Law

The Associated Press

Portrait of a person wearing glasses, a dark blazer, and a light shirt, with arms crossed and standing against a dark blue background.

John Goodman

Following Marine Le Pen’s conviction for embezzling EU funds and a five-year ban from running for office, her far-right National Rally party held a massive rally in Paris that doubled as both protest and campaign launch.

Framing the verdict as politically motivated, Le Pen and her protégé Jordan Bardella accused the judiciary of silencing opposition, drawing comparisons to Donald Trump and warning of a “rigged” system. The event highlighted a deepening divide in France over justice and democracy, as the far right seeks to cast legal accountability as a populist cause.

“I challenge the notion that there is a tsunami of support for Le Pen on this issue,” says John Goodman, assistant professor of political science by courtesy appointment.

He also criticizes the unusually rapid pace of Le Pen’s appeal. “Her appeal has been fast-tracked so it can be heard in the summer of 2026, well before the 2027 presidential election, and significantly faster than a typical criminal case,” Goodman says.

Read more in the Associated Press article, “Le Pen supporters rally in Paris, turning a protest into a populist show of force.”