Le Pen's legacy shaped the rise of nationalism and xenophobia in contemporary France, leaving a profound impact on the country's political landscape.
**Jean-Marie Le Pen: Architect of France's Far-Right Movement Passes Away at 96**
**Jean-Marie Le Pen: Architect of France's Far-Right Movement Passes Away at 96**
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the controversial founder of France's National Front party, has died at 96, marking the end of a tumultuous era in French politics.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has been credited with establishing the modern far-right political landscape in France, has died at the age of 96. His passing was confirmed by party president Jordan Bardella on X, with a statement from Le Pen’s family indicating he died at a Garches hospital, located west of Paris.
Notably frail after suffering multiple heart attacks, Le Pen's health had led a French court to grant his daughters legal guardianship in April 2024, empowering them to make decisions on his behalf. Known for his incendiary rhetoric and unapologetic stance on immigration, Le Pen ran for the French presidency five times, achieving a significant moment in 2002 when he reached the runoff against Jacques Chirac.
His political career, characterized by a distaste for multiculturalism and a penchant for provocative claims, saw him galvanize support by promoting fear of immigrants and other marginalized communities, whom he deemed "not truly French." His youngest daughter, Marine Le Pen, took over leadership of the National Front in 2011, navigating her own political battles, including three unsuccessful presidential campaigns against Emmanuel Macron.
Despite her electoral setbacks, Marine Le Pen transformed the party into the National Rally and achieved a record number of parliamentary seats in the 2022 election, highlighting her managerial efforts to refine the party's image and goals. The tenure of Le Pen, now passed, has left a controversial mark on French politics, one that continues to resonate in the current political climate.
