Marine Le Pen said on French TV that she intends to stand for president next year(Image: Christian Hartmann/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has said she will stand for president in 2027 - just hours after a court upheld her embezzlement conviction and ordered her to wear an electronic tag.

"Tonight, I am a candidate in the presidential election," the National Rally leader told French broadcaster TF1 on Tuesday evening. But she added: "I can't campaign with a tag," saying she would appeal the ruling to France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Paris appeals court ruled that Le Pen played a key role in her party's misuse of €2.8m (£2.4m) in European Parliament funds, but cleared the way for the 57-year-old - who has already run for president three times - to stand in next year's presidential race.

The court shortened a ban imposed by a lower court last year that barred her from running for public office for five years.

Marine Le Pen said she will appeal the ruling to France's highest court, the Court of Cassation(Image: Will Jarrett and Sylvie Corbet/AP)

Le Pen's ban was cut to 45 months, with 30 months suspended. She has already served 15 months of the ban, meaning the potential obstacle has effectively been removed.

The court also reduced her prison sentence from four years – two of which were suspended – to three years, with two suspended and one to be served under house arrest while wearing an electronic tag. The tag will restrict the hours she is allowed to leave her home.

However, Le Pen said on Tuesday that appealing to the Court of Cassation would suspend the sentence requiring her to wear the electronic tag until the court delivers its ruling.

"I had indicated that I would not campaign while wearing an electronic tag. But since I have the option of appealing … and the government is suspending the effects of the ruling, I will therefore campaign without an electronic tag," Le Pen told TF1.

The Court of Cassation has previously said it expects to rule before the first round of the presidential election, which will take place in April 2027.

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