France, Nov. 12 -- France's Council of State has confirmed the dismissal of far right leader Marine Le Pen from her role as departmental councillor, following her conviction in March for using EU funds to pay party staff and a five-year ban from holding public office.

France's highest administrative court on Monday rejected Le Pen's appeal against her removal as councillor of the Pas-de-Calais department after she was sentenced and immediately banned from running for office.

Le Pen, who was re-elected to the National Assembly in the first round of the snap elections in 2024, argued that the law leading to her dismissal did not respect the principle of equality, as parliamentarians only lose their seats after a final conviction, whereas ...