Jean-Marie Le Pen, who died at the age of 96 on January 7, 2025, left his mark on French political life for decades.
For almost forty years, Jean-Marie Le Pen was the president of the National Front, from 1972, when the party was created, to 2011 when he gave way to his daughter Marine Le Pen. He was nevertheless its honorary president in January 2011, until the disappearance of the party, replaced by the National Rally. His political career began in 1956 when he was elected deputy. He successively obtained the mandate of municipal councilor of the 20th arrondissement of Paris, regional councilor of Ile-de-France, member of parliament for Paris and European deputy, a position he still holds today.
On April 21, 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen created a surprise by arriving in the second round of the presidential election. Beaten by Jacques Chirache decides to try his luck again by finding allies for the future campaign. In 2007, Jean-Marie Le Pen officially became the oldest French candidate for a presidential election. But his score is in clear decline and he does not reach the second round. Numerous controversies surround Jean-Marie Le Pen, in particular concerning his denial of the gas chambers, his delicate past concerning “methods of coercion” during the war or his frequent racist remarks.
It’s his daughter Marine Le Pen who succeeded him in 2011 and launched the race for the presidency in 2012. In 2014, Jean-Marie Le Pen began a third term as a European deputy. To everyone’s surprise, the Front National came first in the 2014 European elections in France. In 2015, returning to his controversial comments on the gas chambers, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him at the FN. Jean-Marie Le Pen was finally excluded from the National Front in August 2015.
Jean-Marie Le Pen died “surrounded by his family”
Jean-Marie Le Pen died on Tuesday January 7, 2025, at the age of 96. The founder of the far-right National Front party (now National Rally) “was called back to God this Tuesday at 12 p.m.” while being “surrounded by his family”, his family said in a press release sent to AFP. Marine Le Pen was not at his side, having gone to Mayotte to show her solidarity with those affected by the great hurricane that occurred at the end of 2024. She learned of her father’s death from an AFP dispatch. , on the return plane.
The patron saint of RN deputies in the National Assembly reacted soberly the next day on are waiting up there. Many people who love him are mourning him down here. Good luck, good luck, Dad!”, she wrote, simply recalling her bond of affection with him. Marion Maréchal, his granddaughter, published a much more political tribute text. “The mission that you entrusted to me 13 years ago with your letter, I have not forgotten,” she said in particular, promising to remain engaged in politics for the “identity” fight that he led.
The death of Jean-Marie Le Pen has sparked many reactions, not always laudatory. During the evening, in Paris, Lyon and Marseille, hundreds of French people did not hesitate to gather to “celebrate” the death of the founder of the National Front. Behavior which annoyed the Minister of the Interior. On
For his part, Emmanuel Macron spoke, via a summary press release from the Élysée to send condolences to the Le Pen family, considering that Jean-Marie Le Pen “played a role in the public life of our country for almost of seventy years, which is now subject to the judgment of History”.
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Jean-Marie Le Pen: key dates
- June 20, 1928: Birth of Jean-Marie Le Pen, French far-right politician.
- Jean-Marie le Pen was born on June 20, 1928 in Trinité-sur-Mer. Entering political life very early, as a Poujadist deputy at the age of 27, he became president of the National Front in 1972. He did not leave this place before 2011. His far-right nationalist party focuses its ideas in particular on a policy to fight against immigration. His daughter Marine le Pen took over the party presidency in 2011.
- October 5, 1972: Creation of the FN
- Jean-Marie le Pen, former youngest member of parliament in France in 1956, founded a far-right party called: Front National. He is supported by the “New Order” movement, of which he was campaign director for the 1965 presidential elections, supporting the former secretary of state of Vichy governmentTixier-Vignancour. “Odre Nouveau” will be dissolved in 1973 by the Council of Ministers. Remaining unnoticed at its creation, the FN asserted itself in the French political landscape after the presidential elections of 1981. Jean-Marie Le Pen has been its president since its creation.
- September 13, 1987: Jean-Marie Le Pen releases his “detail of the story”
- During the RTL Le Monde Grand Jury, the president of the Front National affirms that the gas chambers are only “a point of detail in the history of the Second World War”. By putting the Nazi crimes into perspective, Jean-Marie Le Pen raises an uproar.
- April 21, 2002: Jean-Marie Le Pen enters the second round of the presidential election
- The National Front candidate obtained 16.86% of the votes, and Jacques Chirac 19.88%. Lionel Jospinbeaten with 16.18% of the vote, immediately announced that he was retiring from political life. This event will trigger numerous demonstrations throughout the country, and Chirac will ultimately be largely re-elected in the second round with 82.21% of the vote.