Jean-Marie Le Pen, a far-right figure who haunted French politics for decades and divided opinion until the end, died on Tuesday at the age of 96.
While the left denounced him as a “fascist,” many acknowledged his success in shifting French politics to the right.
Under his leadership, the National Front party, which he co-founded with former Waffen SS members and neo-Nazi sympathizers, staunchly defended an anti-immigration agenda, and many accused him of being a xenophobe, racist and anti-Semitic.
He once viewed the Holocaust as a “detail” of history.
Le Pen, who had been in a nursing home for several weeks, died “surrounded by loved ones” at noon on Tuesday (1100 GMT), her family said in a statement to AFP.
His daughter Marlene, who sparked a family feud by kicking him out of her party, was on a plane from the hurricane-hit French island of Mayotte when his death was announced.
Le Pen’s views often provoke mass rejection, even disgust, from mainstream parties, but his electoral success is undeniable.
In 2002, he surprised people by defeating Socialist Party favorite Lionel Jospin in the second round of the presidential election before losing to conservative Jacques Chirac.
-“Always at the service of France”-
Marine Le Pen took the party leadership in 2011 and ousted her father four years later in an attempt to distance her movement from his reputation for extremism.
The reorganized party, renamed the National Rally (RN), achieved significant electoral success.
It made strong gains in last year’s European Parliament elections and became the largest single party in the subsequent French election, but was not invited to join the government.
Jordan Bardera, the Republican leader and Marine Le Pen’s right-hand man, said in a carefully worded tribute on Tuesday that Jean-Marie Le Pen “always served France and defended its identity and sovereignty,” calling him ” Tribune of France”. people”.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left LFI party, said that with Le Pen’s death “the fight against Le Pen is over” despite “the opposition to the hatred, racism, Islamophobia he led” The fight against terrorism and anti-Semitism is over.” The spread continues. “
-“Fascism from another era”-
Meanwhile, left-wing parliamentarian Francois Ruffin called Le Pen “a fascist from another era who is now dead” but left behind “his heirs who are still here here”.
President Emmanuel Macron’s office said coolly that “history will judge” Le Pen’s role in France.
“The president expresses his condolences to his family,” it added in a statement. As of now, Macron himself has not responded.
Prime Minister François Bellew said anyone who has fought Le Pen politically has discovered “what a great fighter he is”.
Bruno Retailleau, the interior minister and a hard-right figure, said, “Whatever one thinks of Jean-Marie Le Pen, there is no doubt that he left a mark on his time.”
He added: “A page in French political history has been turned.”
-“Political Empire”-
French newspaper Liberation said Le Pen “turned his name and his family into a political empire” and “succeeded in pushing his racist, xenophobic and nationalist notions of identity into the heart of political debate.” ”.
“Le Monde” stated that Le Pen has “experienced all the ups and downs of France’s far-right history” in his career.
“La Croix daily” called him “the man who caused the far right to take root in France”.
So far, there has been no reaction from Marine Le Pen herself.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, who gradually retired from politics after her daughter became party leader, has been battling health problems in recent months.
Last June, before he was due to stand trial with others in the European Parliament over alleged false job schemes, a medical report said his health had “seriously deteriorated” and he was unable to attend.
In November, he was hospitalized and then moved to a care facility near his home in the western suburbs of Paris.
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