Judiciary must be protected, says Macron, as judge who sentenced Le Pen put under guard

French president tells ministers that judges are independent and all litigants have the right of appeal'

Emmanuel Macron has said the French judiciary is independent and must be protected as a judge was put under police guard after sentencing Marine Le Pen to an immediate ban from running for office.

Speaking on Wednesday, two days after the far-right leader's conviction for the embezzlement of European parliament funds, the French president told ministers that judges must be protected" and that all litigants have the right to appeal."