Paris, January 9, 2025 – The Europe Today: Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s far-right National Front party and a polarizing figure in French politics, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 96. His death has sparked mixed reactions across the country, with some mourning his passing and others openly celebrating the end of his controversial legacy.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Paris’s Place de la République to mark his death, setting off fireworks and chanting slogans. Placards bearing messages such as “The dirty racist is dead” and “A beautiful day” were held aloft by demonstrators. Similar gatherings were reported in Lyon and Marseille, with seven arrests made in Lyon after clashes involving burnt bins and projectiles thrown at police during a protest organized by the hard-left.
Le Pen’s political career was marked by both praise and condemnation. While some on the right commended his influence on French politics, critics on the left accused him of fascism. He was convicted multiple times for antisemitism, discrimination, and incitement to racial violence, earning him a contentious reputation.
Senior French officials condemned the celebratory demonstrations. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the actions as “shameful,” stating, “Nothing, absolutely nothing justifies dancing on a corpse.” In contrast, Mathilde Panot, a prominent member of the left-wing France Unbowed party, likened the gatherings to the “spirit of Charlie,” referencing the 10th anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo attack, which coincided with Le Pen’s death.
Marine Le Pen, his daughter and a prominent far-right politician, called her father a “warrior” in her first public statement, adding that “many people are mourning him.” A family funeral is scheduled for Saturday in his hometown in Brittany.
Jean-Marie Le Pen’s death closes a chapter in French politics, leaving a legacy that continues to divide opinion across the nation.
