20 Jun 1928 - 7 Jan 2025 (97 years)

Jean Louis Marie Le Pen, commonly known as Jean-Marie Le Pen, was a French far-right politician. He focused on issues related to immigration to France, the European Union, traditional culture and values, law and order, and France's high rate of unemployment.

His progression in the 1980s is known as the "lepénisation of minds" due to its noticeable effect on mainstream political opinion. His controversial speeches and his integration into public life made him a figure who polarized opinion. He was convicted of statements downplaying the Holocaust, and fined for incitement to discrimination regarding remarks made about Muslims in France.

Le Pen's longevity in politics and his five attempts to become president of France made him a major figure in French political life. His unexpected progress to the second round in the 2002 presidential election — when he was beaten in a landslide by incumbent Jacques Chirac — left its mark on French public life, and the "21st of April" is now a frequently used expression in France. He served three terms in the National Assembly and was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1984 to 2019.

He served as the National Front's president from 1972 to 2011 and as its honorary president from 2011 to 2015. He was expelled from the party by his daughter Marine in 2015 after making controversial statements.

In April 2024, Le Pen experienced a second heart attack. In November 2024, he was hospitalised for two weeks for medical examinations related to old age, and his family expressed concerns about his general state of health.

Le Pen died at a care facility in Garches, Hauts-de-Seine, on 7 January 2025, at the age of 96. He had been in failing health due to complications from the heart attack he suffered in 2024.