Over at City Journal, our distinguished doctor reports on the possible fallout from a French court ban on Marine Le Pen’s participation in political life for five years. It is conceivable that the consequences may be completely different than what is generally expected.
Will her conviction have a practical political effect? Possibly—but it may be the opposite of what was intended. If framed cleverly, in a way that encourages the public to forget or overlook her actual guilt, it could cast her as a martyr.