Marine Le Pen could still run in France's 2027 presidential election despite being handed a five-year ban from public office.
The Paris appeals court has announced it will fast-track her case with a decision expected by summer 2026.
This accelerated timeline would give the hard-right National Rally leader enough time to enter the race should she be cleared of wrongdoing.
Le Pen was convicted on Monday of embezzling European Parliament funds.
The court found her guilty of running a system of fake job contracts to siphon European funds intended for parliamentary assistants to instead pay party workers in France.
A total of 24 people were involved in the case, in addition to the party itself. The judges ordered the ban to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the outcome of an appeal trial.
Le Pen called this her "political death sentence" and a threat to democracy, while expressing satisfaction at the court's decision to expedite her appeal.
She told reporters in Paris: "This is very good news. I can see in it the unease that the court verdict has caused...It seems they listened to me."
LATEST ON LE PEN'S CONVICTION
Her lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, called the appeal deadline proof that the justice system had "disowned" Monday's "indefensible" ruling to ban Le Pen, who was the favourite in polling for the 2027 election.
The presiding judge in the case, Bénédicte de Perthuis, has been placed under police protection following death threats. Her home address was circulated online after she delivered her ruling on Monday.
The 62-year-old former accountant, who spent a decade with consulting firm EY before turning to the law, has faced angry insults on right-wing sites and social media.
Paris police confirmed an investigation is underway into the threats.
President Macron has said the French judiciary is independent and must be protected.
Speaking on Wednesday, the French president told ministers that "judges must be protected" and that "all litigants have the right to appeal."
"The threats made against judges are absolutely unbearable and intolerable," Macron said, according to government spokeswoman Sophie Primas.
He reminded ministers that judicial decisions must be respected as a pillar of democracy and that Le Pen has abandoned her 15-year drive to detoxify her party and is now waging an all-out offensive against "the system."
In parliament, she compared herself to Alexei Navalny, the late opponent of Russia's President Putin, and to Ekrem Imamoglu, the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul.
Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old lieutenant who chairs the party, is organising mass protests. A public rally is planned for Sunday in front of the Invalides military complex near parliament.
For Le Pen to run in 2027, she will need to be either acquitted or receive a sentence that doesn't include immediate ineligibility.
Without the suspension of the 'immediate effect' clause, she would have to consider giving up her spot to someone else. In the meantime, Le Pen can keep her seat as an MP but is barred from running in any elections before mid-2026.
This includes municipal elections next spring or possible legislative elections in 2025.
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The Paris appeals court has announced it will fast-track her case with a decision expected by summer 2026.
This accelerated timeline would give the hard-right National Rally leader enough time to enter the race should she be cleared of wrongdoing.
Le Pen was convicted on Monday of embezzling European Parliament funds.
The court found her guilty of running a system of fake job contracts to siphon European funds intended for parliamentary assistants to instead pay party workers in France.
A total of 24 people were involved in the case, in addition to the party itself. The judges ordered the ban to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the outcome of an appeal trial.
Le Pen called this her "political death sentence" and a threat to democracy, while expressing satisfaction at the court's decision to expedite her appeal.
She told reporters in Paris: "This is very good news. I can see in it the unease that the court verdict has caused...It seems they listened to me."
LATEST ON LE PEN'S CONVICTION
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- Le Pen could deal CRUSHING blow to French government amid political turmoil
Her lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, called the appeal deadline proof that the justice system had "disowned" Monday's "indefensible" ruling to ban Le Pen, who was the favourite in polling for the 2027 election.
The presiding judge in the case, Bénédicte de Perthuis, has been placed under police protection following death threats. Her home address was circulated online after she delivered her ruling on Monday.
The 62-year-old former accountant, who spent a decade with consulting firm EY before turning to the law, has faced angry insults on right-wing sites and social media.
Paris police confirmed an investigation is underway into the threats.
President Macron has said the French judiciary is independent and must be protected.
Speaking on Wednesday, the French president told ministers that "judges must be protected" and that "all litigants have the right to appeal."
"The threats made against judges are absolutely unbearable and intolerable," Macron said, according to government spokeswoman Sophie Primas.
He reminded ministers that judicial decisions must be respected as a pillar of democracy and that Le Pen has abandoned her 15-year drive to detoxify her party and is now waging an all-out offensive against "the system."
In parliament, she compared herself to Alexei Navalny, the late opponent of Russia's President Putin, and to Ekrem Imamoglu, the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul.
Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old lieutenant who chairs the party, is organising mass protests. A public rally is planned for Sunday in front of the Invalides military complex near parliament.
For Le Pen to run in 2027, she will need to be either acquitted or receive a sentence that doesn't include immediate ineligibility.
Without the suspension of the 'immediate effect' clause, she would have to consider giving up her spot to someone else. In the meantime, Le Pen can keep her seat as an MP but is barred from running in any elections before mid-2026.
This includes municipal elections next spring or possible legislative elections in 2025.
Find Out More...