Former French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen dies at 96

 

Jan 7, 2025 #France #JeanMarieLePen #FrenchPolitics

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s far-right National Rally party, has died at the age of 96. He had been in a care facility for several weeks. Known for his inflammatory rhetoric, he campaigned five times for the presidency, reaching the second round in 2002 and shocking Europe.

• He opposed immigration, same-sex marriage, and abortion, while advocating for the death penalty and renegotiating European treaties.
• Controversial remarks, including calling Nazi gas chambers a "detail" of history, earned him a reputation as a bigot.
• His daughter Marine Le Pen later led the party, clashing with him over his anti-Semitism. Le Pen was suspended in 2015, marking the decline of his influence.
  

Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler looks back on his life and career.