France, Oct. 16 -- France's highest administrative court has rejected an appeal by far-right leader Marine Le Pen, dealing a major setback to her efforts to remain eligible for the 2027 presidential race.

The Council of State announced its decision on Wednesday, confirming the immediate enforcement of Le Pen's ineligibility sentence following her conviction earlier this year for misappropriation of public funds.

In March, the Paris Criminal Court found Le Pen and several members of her Rassemblement National party guilty of diverting European Parliament funds to pay party staff between 2004 and 2016.

Does 'politically dead' Marine Le Pen still have a path to power?

She received a four-year prison sentence- with two years suspended- a ...