Jean-Marie Le Pen, the former leader of the French National Front party and a controversial figure in French politics for over five decades, has died at the age of 96. Known for his strident anti-immigration stance and frequent inflammatory remarks, Le Pen led the National Front from 1972 to 2011 and ran five presidential campaigns. He was ousted from the party leadership by his daughter, Marine Le Pen, in 2015.
Jean-Marie Le Pen , the former leader of the French National Front party, presidential candidate, member of the European Parliament, and patriarch of the Le Pen political family dynasty, has died at the age of 96.
Prior to his removal, Le Pen ran five campaigns for the French presidency, including a 2002 run in which he shocked prognosticators by reaching the second round of voting before ultimately losing to Jacques Chirac. Le Pen also drew backlash for commenting positively about the Nazi-collaborating French Vichy puppet government of Marshal Philippe Pétain and for questioning the number of people killed during the Holocaust. He denied being antisemitic and claimed that the actual threat to Jews in France came from the growing presence of Muslims in the country.
While he cast the move as politically suicidal, Marine Le Pen has grown the party to the largest in the French parliament. She currently stands as the frontrunner to replace Emmanuel Macron as president of the republic when his second and final term ends in 2027. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said that “respect for the dignity of the dead and the grief of their loved ones does not erase the right to judge their actions,” accusing Le Pen of spreading “hatred, racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism.”
Jean-Marie Le Pen French Politics National Front Anti-Immigration Holocaust
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, Far-Right French Politician, Dies at 96Jean-Marie Le Pen, co-founder of France's far-right National Front, has died at the age of 96. Known for his inflammatory rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism, Le Pen was a polarizing figure in French politics. His controversial statements, including Holocaust denial, led to multiple convictions and strained his political alliances.
Read more »
Jean-Marie Le Pen, French far-right leader, dies at 96The Associated Press
Read more »
Jean-Marie Le Pen, French far-right leader, dies at 96Jean-Marie Le Pen has died.
Read more »
Jean-Marie Le Pen, French far-right leader, dies at 96Jean-Marie Le Pen has died.
Read more »
Jean-Marie Le Pen, Father of French Far-Right, Dies at 96Jean-Marie Le Pen, the defining figure of France’s postwar far-right movement and father of Marine Le Pen, has died at the age of 96. He was a prominent politician for decades, founding the National Front party and serving in the French National Assembly and European Parliament. Le Pen's political career was marked by controversy, particularly due to allegations of torture during his time in Algeria.
Read more »
Jean-Marie Le Pen: Controversial French PoliticianThis article provides a comprehensive overview of Jean-Marie Le Pen, a prominent figure in French politics known for his far-right views and controversial statements. It highlights his political career, legal convictions, and strained relationship with his daughter, Marine Le Pen, who succeeded him as the head of the National Rally party.
Read more »