National Rally president calls for ‘peaceful mobilisation’ after Marine Le Pen convicted of embezzlement – live

Jordan Bardella says in petition there is a dictatorship of judges' as French far right leader barred from running for public office for five years

• Full story: Le Pen barred from running for French presidency in 2027

The judges have begun reading their verdicts.

Patrick Maisonneuve, lawyer for the European parliament, arriving in court, said that what was at stake was the embezzlement of European taxpayers' funds.