French Far-Right Politician Jean-Marie Le Pen Passes Away at 96

French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen has passed away at the age of 96, according to a family statement provided to AFP. He died this Tuesday afternoon for being significantly surrounded by his loved ones in a care facility where he resided for several weeks, as confirmed by the family.

Le Pen is a Holocaust denier and relentless extremist on all race, gender and immigration issues. The founder of the French far-right National Front party-that was initiated-1972. He reached the runoff election against Jacques Chirac in 2002.

In 2011, she was succeeded as party chief by Le Pen's daughter, Marine, who rebranded the party the National Rally and transformed it into one of France's political colossi.

Jordan Bardella, who succeeded Marine Le Pen as party head in 2022, paid tribute to Jean-Marie Le Pen, stating that he "has always served France", and cited him for the defence of identity and sovereignty.

Far-right nationalist Eric Zemmour spoke on X, "Le Pen will be remembered as one of the first warning voices for France regarding the direction towards impossible threats, despite the controversies and scandals".

Respecting the dignity of the dead and the grief of their family "does not cancel out the right to judge their actions. Those of Jean-Marie Le Pen are unbearable", said Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the radical left France Unbowed (LFI). "The struggle against the man is over. That against the hatred, racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism that he spread continues."

For many years, Le Pen was one of France's most controversial political figures. His critics condemned him as a far-right bigot, and he was convicted multiple times by the courts for his radical statements.

In 2015, he was expelled from the National Rally after reiterating his infamous Holocaust denial.

The expulsion also occurred amid a public dispute with his daughter, who accused him of revisiting Holocaust denial in an attempt to "rescue himself from obscurity."