Marine Le Pen Publicly Declares Her Candidacy for the French Presidential Election of April 18, 2027 by December 31, 2026

The Paris Court of Appeal on July 7, 2026 reduced Le Pen's ineligibility from 5 years to 45 months with 30 months suspended — effectively a 15-month active ban. Since the first round of the presidential election is April 18, 2027 (President Macron completing his final term), Le Pen would be eligible under this ruling. France 24 and Reuters report the decision reopens her path to candidacy. Main risk: prosecution could appeal to the Court of Cassation, potentially reinstating the ban. Given the RN's clear strategy of fielding Le Pen and her repeated public signals, she is highly likely to make a formal declaration by year-end 2026. No specific Polymarket/Metaculus market found; our estimate: 67%.