But Le Pen said she wouldn’t campaign if that were the case.
“You can’t campaign under these conditions,” she said, referring to the ankle bracelet. “Can you campaign without going out in the evening to meet your voters at rallies? That would be another way of preventing me from standing as a candidate.”
“I am not resigned, I am wise. I know that the decision is not up to me,” she added.
Le Pen was found guilty last year of embezzling funds from the European Parliament with her National Rally party; a verdict in her appeals trial is expected July 7. In contrast with her usual combative tone, Le Pen has appeared increasingly defeatist, as her odds of beating the court case seemed to diminish.
Le Pen said the uncertainty over the court’s decision was preventing her party from launching its presidential campaign, even though she currently leads the polls for the first election round. She has already said she would give way to the National Rally’s 29-year-old leader Jordan Bardella, who is also polling strongly, if the court prevents her from mounting a fourth presidential bid.
Le Pen said both she and Bardella would begin preparing for the campaign once France holds municipal elections next month. She added she would remain involved even if she doesn’t run — but won’t seek to tutor or overshadow her young protégé.