France protests latest: ‘Existence of France is at stake’, Marine Le Pen tells rally after election ban

Key points:

Marine Le Pen’s National Rally to protest in Paris todayComes after far-right leader found guilty and barred from officeCounter protests planned by centre and left of French politics too’We are committed to the fight’ – Le PenLe Pen conviction a ‘dark day’ – Bardella

Analysis:

Listen: The rise (and fall?) of Le PenFrance should be weary of populist winds from the USLe Pen’s career in tatters after embezzlement conviction

Live reporting by Kieren Williams

16:01:59 Analysis: Marine Le Pen doubles down with no clear path ahead

Dominic Waghorn, our international affairs editor, is back.

He’s offered his snap analysis of Le Pen’s speech speaking immediately after she finished talking on Sky News.

Read it below:

“This was Marine Le Pen totally unbowed, despite the criminal disgrace and extraordinary events that went against her in the court.

“This is a woman who is determined to carry on fighting and is blaming the system.

“She evoked the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr which some people will find quite rich.

“This is a woman who was caught with her hand in the till, not once or twice, but convicted and sentenced for years of embezzlement.

“She siphoned off funds from the EU parliament and used that money, taxpayers’ money effectively, to pay her party.

“As far as she’s concerned, that’s a conspiracy by politically motivated judges.

“The problem for Le Pen, most French people don’t see it that way.

“According to a recent poll, 31% of people think the sentence is unjust.

“It leaves France at a huge political quandary because the woman all these people voted for when they voted for the National Rally… that woman has now been removed from the ticket.

“It’s now been decapitated.”

What next?

Waghorn continued: “There’s no sign in the speech she’s going to bow out now, but what does she do next?

“Does she wait for the appeal next year? That’s an outside chance, the evidence did seem pretty compelling against her.

“Is she now going to hand over to Bardella, who spoke on the stage before her?

“The last option is does she now bring the house down with her?

“She has 125 MPs. She could turn them against the government in the national assembly.

“It’d be an act of anarchy and chaos and revenge.

“I don’t think we got much of a clue for what she’s going to do, except she’s going to carry on fighting which I think her supporters wanted to hear her say.

“But they’ll want to know what the plan is.”

He added fears of potential violence between the National Rally rally and others “may be subsiding a little”.

15:50:29 Le Pen finishes her speech

Marine Le Pen has just finished her speech.

“Long live the republic, long live France,” she finished on.

The crowd then sang the French national anthem.

In her speech, Le Pen hit some typical far-right talking points, took aim at her enemies, talked up her supporters and proclaimed: “We are winning!”

It was very much a speech aimed at the converted.

15:35:41 Le Pen speaks about Martin Luther King Jr – again

Marine Le Pen is still speaking and has just said she likes to echo the words of Martin Luther King Jr.

While the comparison between a far-right French leader and a black civil rights hero might seem odd, it’s not the first time she’s referenced him.

Ahead of her speech, Le Pen made a video appearance for an anti-immigration Italian party at a meeting in Florence.

She evoked the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr then as well.

The far-right leader said earlier: “We will follow Martin Luther King as an example,”.

Continuing the surprising comparison, she went on: “Our fight will be a peaceful fight, a democratic fight.

“We will follow Martin Luther King [Jr], who defended civil rights, as an example.”

15:29:22 Le Pen vs the judicial system

Marine Le Pen is still speaking in Paris. 

In front of crowds of National Rally faithful, she has repeatedly targeted the judicial system which convicted her.

At times the crowd booed when she mentioned the system.

She also repeated a Donald Trump criticism of her conviction – calling it a “witch hunt”.

“What should have just been an administrative settlement within the European parliament has become a very harsh conviction,” Le Pen said, adding she was convinced of her own righteousness. 

She repeated her previous claims: “This is not a decision of justice – this is a political decision.”

Similar to Bardella, after talking down the judicial system repeatedly, she then condemned the violent threats the judge who convicted her received.

Le Pen dedicated a sizeable amount of her speech to damning the judicial system.

For context: 

Le Pen said she’s convinced of her own righteousness and the decision was wrong.

Our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn said in our 2.45pm post: “She has a chance to appeal, but the evidence doesn’t look very good [for her].”

15:18:15 ‘We are committed to the fight’ – Le Pen

 Marine Le Pen is speaking now.

The far-right leader said: “It’s impossible for me to conceal my emotion, seeing you here…

“A big thank you for you courage, generosity, tenacity … you’re amazing!”

She thanked Bardella as well as other attendees before vowing to continue her fight against the judicial system.

Le Pen doubled down on the fight, saying: “I do not know giving up.

“I do not know surrender.

“We are committed to the fight.”

Further on in the speech, she covered some more expected far-right talking points, talking up the crowd’s patriotism and painting them, and her, as the real and loyal France.

“We have to fight the people who want to thwart us at every step.”

Alongside this, she claimed “the very existence of France is at stake,”.

Similar to Bardella, she also took aim at the country’s judiciary.

15:15:13 Marine Le Pen on stage

Marine Le Pen is taking the stage now for the main event.

Watch live in the stream above and we’ll bring you the latest lines.

15:14:51 Analysis: Is this too early for Bardella?

Dominic Waghorn, our international affairs editor, was watching Bardella’s warm-up act for Marine Le Pen’s main event.

Here’s his snap analysis:

“He’s popular. He’s young. He’s telegenic.

“But the question being asked in the mind of those gathered, the National Rally, faithful, does he have what it takes to replace Marine Le Pen?

“The plan was for her to lead the party to victory in two years time as president and he would be prime minister.

“They will be asking themselves, at 29 is he simply too inexperienced? 

“Does he have the grit and determination to replace her as president?

“Listening to him, he’s telegenic, but does he have the weight and presence to be a presidential candidate? 

“I’m not entirely convinced.

“I’m not sure others will be either.

“These events have happened too quickly for him and Le Pen.

“The party strategy has been decapitated by the decision to bar Le Pen from office.”

15:11:14 ‘Long live Marine Le Pen’

More from Jordan Bardella now – who’s just wrapped up his speech and finished.

Talking up his partnership with Marine Le Pen, he vowed to stay by her side after her conviction – to applause.

“I am sure compatriots, she will be able to count on you. So help her, help her confront this injustice. Stay by her side,” Bardella said.

“Join us in the National Rally,” he added.

Bardella went on to claim that victory had “never been nearer”.

“Long live Marine Le Pen, long live democracy, long live France,” he finished on.

Bardella is poised to inherit the top job from Le Pen.

14:53:30 Le Pen conviction ‘a dark day for France’ – Bardella

Jordan Bardella, the young darling of the French far-right, is on stage speaking.

He’s said the people of France should be able to vote without “intermediaries”.

This seems to be his description of the judge who found Le Pen guilty – and received death threats subsequently.

The 29-year-old described the 29 March – when Le Pen was convicted – as a “dark day” in the history of France.

“This is a wound to patriotic French people.”

However, Bardella later in the speech walked back some of the fiery rhetoric, saying he would never overstep the separation of powers onto the judiciary.

“Never will we put pressure on democracy,” he added.

Bardella then went on to attack a magistrates’ union.

Later on in the speech, he seemed to hint at a future for National Rally even after Le Pen, vowing: “We will be here tomorrow”.

Far-right playbook

During his speech, Bardella also hit his usual talking points, attacking the left and immigration.

Such rhetoric that Bardella deployed, including targeting judges, is emblematic of the far right globally.

In the US, Donald Trump’s government has repeatedly attacked judges who have halted his legislative programme.

14:49:18 Jordan Bardella takes the stage

Far-right leader and National Rally president Jordan Bardella has taken to the stage.

We’ll bring you the latest from what he says.

Watch live in the stream above.

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