Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the far-right National Front party in France, has died at the age of 96

Paris Jean-Marie Le Pen, the historic leader of the far-right political movement in France, died on Tuesday at the age of 96, according to what the French news agency reported from his family. Le Pen, who had been in a nursing home for several weeks, died Tuesday “surrounded by his loved ones,” the family said in a statement.

His daughter Marine Le Pen is one of the most prominent figures in the party, now called the National Rally, which has seen its support rise in recent years. The party’s current president, Jordan Bardella, confirmed Le Pen’s death statement She posted on social media on Tuesday.

“He has always served France and defended its identity and sovereignty,” Bardella said. “Today I think with sadness of his family, his loved ones and of course the Marines whose mourning must be respected.”

Le Pen caused shock throughout France in 2002 when he reached the second round of the presidential elections with a strong anti-immigration program. He has often been accused of racism and anti-Semitism, and dismissed the Holocaust as part of history.

His daughter took over the party’s leadership in 2011 and expelled it four years later, seeking to distance her movement from its extremist reputation. The National Front showed strong gains in last year’s European Parliament elections, and became the largest single party in France’s subsequent general elections.

Marine Le Pen said the National Rally party “virtually annihilated” President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist power base in the first round of elections that took place over the summer, winning nearly a third of the votes in a resounding criticism of the National Rally. Macron’s troubled government.

She holds a seat in Parliament and is the leader of the National Rally Party bloc in the Legislative Council.

the The new French government Formed in the wake of the summer elections – after significant bargaining – from the centre-right, and although it does not include any members of the National Front, the far-right anti-immigration movement founded by the prominent Le Pen now holds enough seats in parliament to exert influence. Big on the country’s politics.