French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has intensified her criticism of the judicial system following her recent conviction. During a party meeting in Paris, Le Pen expressed her outrage, asserting that the authorities have unleashed a powerful weapon against her political ambitions, coinciding with an upcoming election. Le Pen, who leads the Rassemblement National (RN) party, stated that such strong measures are taken particularly because her party is poised for electoral victory. Party chief Jordan Bardella echoed Le Pen's sentiments, labeling the ruling as a 'tyranny of judges.' He alleged that there is a concerted effort to obstruct their path to power, citing previous convictions of conservative politicians like former Prime Minister François Fillon and ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy as evidence of bias against their political camp. Bardella insisted that Le Pen remains innocent and expressed concern over how millions of French citizens are being deprived of representation by their presidential candidate. In light of the ruling, the RN has called for nationwide protests. Le Pen is prohibited from running for office for five years due to her conviction related to the misappropriation of EU funds. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two of those years suspended, and the possibility to serve two additional years under electronic monitoring. Additionally, a fine of EUR100,000 was imposed. Le Pen has announced her intention to appeal the decision, which will temporarily suspend her prison sentence and fine but not the electoral ban. Criticism of the ruling has also emerged from international figures, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who stated that no one who values democracy can support a verdict that strips a significant political leader of representation for millions. However, it is important to note that Le Pen is no longer the party leader, a detail Meloni overlooked in her comments. Matteo Salvini, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister, characterized the ruling as a 'declaration of war' from Brussels, likening it to negative political developments observed in other nations, such as Romania. Le Pen has garnered support from various political leaders worldwide, including former US President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In defense of the ruling, Rémy Heitz, a senior judicial official in France, asserted that the decision was based on legal grounds made by three independent judges, not political motivations. He emphasized that the verdict was the culmination of a fair process, which involved extensive investigations and a two-month trial. Heitz condemned the personal attacks directed at the judges involved in the case, revealing that the presiding judge has had to receive police protection due to threats she received. The conviction of Marine Le Pen has sparked debates about the intersection of politics and the judiciary in France, raising questions about the implications for the future of her party and the political landscape ahead of the next presidential elections.