Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the French far-right nationalist party formerly known as the National Front and a controversial force in the country’s political life for decades, has died aged 96.
President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday issued a terse acknowledgement of Le Pen’s significant role in France’s post-war society – but withheld any further assessment of his legacy.
“As a historical figure of the far right, he played a role in the public life of our country for almost 70 years that is now subject to the judgement of history,” Macron said in a message released by his official residence, the Élysée Palace in Paris.
The announcement was extremely brief compared to those marking the deaths of other prominent figures.
In 1972, Le Pen co-founded the National Front and led it for nearly four decades.
The head of the party, now renamed National Rally, Jordan Bardella, wrote on X that he had died, confirming reports in French media.
Le Pen, who was later expelled from the party, had in his final years mainly made headlines due to his political feud with his daughter Marine Le Pen.
She broke politically with her father after he repeatedly thwarted her strategy of adopting a more moderate approach. Under her leadership, the party renamed and rebranded itself in 2018.
Le Pen made the National Front prominent
During his time a leader of the National Front, he transformed it from a fringe group into a serious political force, using provocative statements to stir sentiment against immigrants.
His daughter, Marine, took over the party leadership in 2011 and has since successfully pursued a strategy of “detoxification” of the party, becoming one of the most influential figures in France in the process.
The party eventually expelled her father in 2015 after he repeatedly dismissed Nazi gas chambers as a mere “detail of history” of World War II.
He fought back fiercely, accusing his daughter of “betrayal” and attacking her publicly on numerous occasions. He initially managed to retain the title of honorary chairman in court, but this was later revoked.
Multiple convictions for inciting hatred
Le Pen was born in 1928 as the son of a Breton fisherman and a seamstress.
After studying law and politics, he joined the French Foreign Legion. He was repeatedly accused of torturing prisoners during the 1954-62 Algerian War, which he denied. However, he lost a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper Le Monde in 2003.
He was repeatedly convicted for downplaying Nazi crimes and inciting hatred.
Le Pen’s biggest coup came when he placed second in the 2002 presidential election, facing Jacques Chirac in the run-off. France still refers to this as the “shock of April 21.”
His daughter achieved results in the 2022 elections with her efforts to present a moderate image that her father could only have dreamed of, garnering more than 40% in the final round of the presidential election and a significant increase in the party’s parliamentary seats.
Founder of the French far-right party Front national (FN), Jean-Marie Le Pen, gestures during a campaign event ahead of 2007 presidential election. Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the French right-wing nationalist party formerly known as the National Front, has died aged 96, news agency AFP reported on Tuesday, citing Le Pen’s family. Martin Bureau/AFP/dpa
