In a speech, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader, cast a judicial decision prohibiting her from running for office as a threat to democracy.

Thousands of supporters gathered near the tomb of Napoleon for what was billed as a protest — but observers said it had all the markings of a campaign rally.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Sunday she would peacefully fight her five-year ban from running for office and draw inspiration from American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.,