The leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, has been found "guilty" and disqualified from public office with immediate effect for five years. A sentence that has caused a political earthquake in France and has sparked reactions, especially from her allies.
The first international reaction came from the Kremlin, condemning the sentence against Le Pen as "a violation of democratic norms."
Hungarian Prime Minister, the far-right Viktor Orban, showed his solidarity with Le Pen with a brief message on social media: "Je suis Marine!".
The president of the National Rally and Le Pen's protege, Jordan Bardella, who stands out as the possible natural successor amid the political storm, has given his full support to his leader. "It was not only Marine Le Pen who was unjustly convicted; it is French democracy that has been executed," was the reaction of the 'protege' of the National Rally president Jordan Bardella, in statements to the AFP agency.
"It is not up to the judges to decide who the people should vote for. Whatever our disagreements, Marine Le Pen is entitled to run for office," said Eric Zemmour, president of the political party Reconquista.
Italian Vice President, Matteo Salvini, has also supported Le Pen: "People who fear the judgment of the voters often find solace in the judgment of the courts. In Paris, they have condemned Marine Le Pen and would like to exclude her from political life, an ugly movie that we are also seeing in other countries like Romania. The sentence against Marine Le Pen is a declaration of war from Brussels, at a time when the warlike impulses of Von der Leyen and Macron are frightening. We will not be intimidated, we will not stop: full steam ahead, my friend!".
Geert Wilders, George Simion, and Santiago Abascal also expressed similar sentiments. The Dutchman stated he was "shocked by the incredible harshness of the verdict" and said he supports her "100%". The Romanian presidential candidate said that "attacking or annihilating your political opponent by any means is straight out of the manual of totalitarian regimes." Vox president, Santiago Abascal: "They will not silence the voice of the French people."