The thunderclap court ruling barring far-right politician Marine Le Pen from office for the immediate future reverberated across the political spectrum of France and Europe on Monday.
Her supporters branded the verdict an assault on democracy while detractors reacted with fist-pumping celebration, though even some of her critics wondered whether the court decision went too far.
Long seen as a top contender for France's 2027 presidential election and a potential leader-in-waiting of the Eurozone's second economy, Le Pen was convicted of embezzling European Union funds and barred from holding public office for five years.
The ruling drew swift and scathing responses from Le Pen's political kin across Europe, many of whom viewed the court's decision as an existential threat to their own movements.
"I am shocked by the incredibly tough verdict against Marine Le Pen. I support and believe in her 100% and I trust she will win the appeal and become President of France," said Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders.
In Italy, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned, "The ruling against Marine Le Pen is a declaration of war by Brussels."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared, "I am Marine."
Tom Van Grieken of Belgium's Vlaams Belang called the decision "an attack on democracy," and added: "Marine Le Pen can continue to count on our support."
Spain's Vox party leader Santiago Abascal insisted, "They will not succeed in silencing the voice of the French people."
From Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "More and more European capitals are going down the path of trampling over democratic norms."
In France, where Le Pen had fought for decades to mainstream her far-right politics, the reaction within her camp was incendiary.
Jordan Bardella, her handpicked successor as president of the National Rally, used the language of political martyrdom to describe the moment.
"Today it is not only Marine Le Pen who was unjustly condemned: it is French democracy that was killed," Bardella said.
Éric Zemmour, another prominent far-right voice and former presidential candidate, said "It is not for judges to decide who the people must vote for."
In Paris's Republic Plaza, where public demonstrations often unfold, Le Pen detractors punched the air in celebration.
"We were here in this square to celebrate the death of her father," said Jean Dupont, 45, a schoolteacher. "And this is now the death of Le Pen's presidential ambitions."
Sophie Martin, 34, a graphic designer, was among those in a celebratory mood. "I had to check the date-I thought it was April Fool's Day," she said. "But it's not. She's finally been knocked down. We've lived with her poison in our politics for too long."
Still, not everyone welcomed the ruling. Lucien Bernard, 64, a retired civil servant, expressed concern. "It's a sad day for democracy," he said. "Whether you love or hate her, the people should not be denied a chance to express their vote in a country that is supposedly a leading Western democracy."
Even from the left, where Le Pen has long been a reviled figure, the tone was complex. The far-left France Unbowed party acknowledged the seriousness of the charges but warned against judicial overreach.
"We take note of this decision by the courts," the party said, "even though we reject on principle that legal recourse should be impossible for any defendant."
They emphasized that their opposition to Le Pen's party would continue on political - not judicial - grounds: "We will defeat them again tomorrow at the ballot box, no matter who their candidate is."
