Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the French National Front (now known as the National Rally, RN), has passed away at the age of 96.
‘Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was surrounded by his relatives, was called by the Lord at noon on Tuesday,’ his family said in a statement to the AFP news agency.
Le Pen was the founder of one of France’s oldest political parties, the former National Front, in 2002 he advanced to the second round of the presidential election, ultimately losing to Jacques Chirac.
Since 2011 Le Pen had gradually withdrawn from political life. The party, which rebranded as the National Rally in 2018, has since been led by his daughter, Marine Le Pen.
Jean-Marie Le Pen had been hospitalized since mid-November at a medical facility in Garches, near his home in Rueil-Malmaison, west of Paris.
‘Le Pen was the founder of one of France’s oldest political parties, the former National Front’
One of Jean-Marie Le Pen’s final political appearances took place in 2019, when he delivered a farewell speech in the European Parliament. In his remarks, Le Pen described the European Parliament as a ‘windmill’ or a ‘straitjacket that prevents political action against the threat of a migratory influx.’ He also dismissed the idea of France leaving the European Union, stating that such a step would only occur if the EU failed to undergo profound internal reform.
Throughout his political career, Le Pen was frequently accused of antisemitism, a controversy that ultimately led to his expulsion from the party. This exclusion prompted him to accuse his daughter, Marine Le Pen, of betrayal. Marine later rebranded the party, shedding her father’s legacy of antisemitism, a move that included changing its name.
Jordan Bardella, who succeeded Marine Le Pen as party chair in 2022, said Jean-Marie had ‘always served France’ and ‘defended its identity and sovereignty.’
French Prime Minister François Bayrou said that anyone who fought Le Pen ‘knew what a fighter he was,’ while Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau offered his condolences to Le Pen’s family and said that ‘a page of French history had been turned.’
Right-wing politician and publicist Eric Zemmour said on X that ‘beyond the controversies and the scandals’ Le Pen would be remembered for being ‘among the first to alert France of the existential threats lurking.’
Viktor Orbán has maintained close ties with the Le Pen family, ties that have grown even stronger following the rebranding of the French party. Currently, Fidesz and the National Rally are members of the European political group Patriots for Europe (PfE), which was co-founded by Orbán.
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