The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was set to appear in court on Tuesday to appeal a previous ruling that barred her from standing for election for five years after defrauding the European Union.
She was one of several individuals from the National Rally (RN) party who were found guilty of using EU parliamentary funds to pay for party staff.
The three-time presidential candidate was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which were suspended, and fined €100,000 ($116,000).
The 57-year-old Le Pen is appealing the sentence in the hope of reopening her path to the presidential candidacy in 2027, considered her best chance of securing the top job.
Current President Emmanuel Macron cannot, by law, run again. At the same time, a poll published in Le Monde on Sunday showed that 42% of French people agreed with "ideas defended by the RN," up from 29% in 2022.
Even if the appeal court does not overturn the ruling but shortens her sentence, she may still have a chance to run.
A decision from the hearing is expected this summer.
If Le Pen is unable to run, she has nominated her top lieutenant Jordan Bardella to run in her place. A November poll predicted that Bardella could win the second round of elections against any other candidate.
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Le Pen took control of the party, then called the National Front (FN), from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2011.
She has worked to clean up the party's image somewhat in the following years, with the elder Le Pen having drawn controversy for his racist and antisemitic remarks.
The younger Le Pen ran for the presidency three times, making it to the run-off in the last two elections, but being beaten by Macron both times.
The ruling against her last year was dismissed as a "political decision" by Le Pen and her far-right allies in France.
Far-right voices in the White House and the Kremlin also expressed concern.
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