Founder of National Front Jean-Marie Le Pen passes away at 96

(MENAFN) Jean-Marie Le Pen, the controversial founder of France’s far-right National Front party, passed away at the age of 96, local media reported on Tuesday. His death marks the end of a long and tumultuous political career that left a profound mark on French politics.

Le Pen, a deeply polarizing figure, founded the National Front in 1972, which he led for nearly four decades, shaping its hardline nationalist and anti-immigrant platform. Under his leadership, the party became known for its inflammatory rhetoric, which drew widespread condemnation from opponents but also resonated with a segment of the French electorate that felt alienated by the political establishment. His political ideology was often linked to controversial views on race, immigration, and European integration.

In 2011, Jean-Marie Le Pen passed the reins of the party to his daughter, Marine Le Pen, who sought to soften its image and broaden its appeal. However, in 2015, Jean-Marie Le Pen was expelled from the party after making extreme remarks that clashed with her more moderate stance. Marine Le Pen later rebranded the National Front as the National Rally (Rassemblement National) in 2018, signaling a shift towards a more mainstream identity.

Throughout his political career, Jean-Marie Le Pen ran for the French presidency five times, though he never succeeded in winning the top office.

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