Jean-Marie Le Pen

Jean-Marie Le Pen
Le Pen in 2019
Honorary President of the National Front
In office 16 January 2011 – 20 August 2015
President	Marine Le Pen
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
President of the National Front
In office 5 October 1972 – 15 January 2011
Preceded by	Party established
Succeeded by	Marine Le Pen
Member of the European Parliament
In office 1 July 2004 – 1 July 2019
Constituency	South-East France
In office 24 July 1984 – 10 April 2003
Constituency	France
Member of the National Assembly
In office 2 April 1986 – 14 May 1988
Constituency	Seine
In office 9 December 1958 – 9 October 1962
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	René Capitant
Constituency	Seine's 1st
In office 19 January 1956 – 5 December 1958
Constituency	Seine's 3rd
Regional Councillor
In office 26 March 2010 – 13 December 2015
Constituency	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
In office 27 March 1992 – 24 February 2000
Constituency	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
In office 21 March 1986 – 22 March 1992
Constituency	Île-de-France
Municipal Councillor of Paris
In office 13 March 1983 – 19 March 1989
Constituency	20th arrondissement
Personal details
Born	(1928-06-20) 20 June 1928 (age 95) La Trinité-sur-Mer, Brittany, France
Political party	Jeanne Committees (2016–present)
Other political affiliations	UDCA (1956–1957) FNC (1957–1961) TV Committees (1964–1966) National Front (1972–2016)
Spouses	Pierrette Lallane ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1987)​ Jeanne-Marie Paschos ​ ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	3, including Marine
Relatives	Marion Maréchal (granddaughter)
Alma mater	Panthéon-Assas University
Profession	Lawyer politician activist
Signature
Website	jeanmarielepen.com
Military service
Allegiance	French Fourth Republic
Branch/service	French Army
Years of service	1953–1955 1956–1957
Rank	1st Lieutenant
Unit	Foreign Legion 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
Battles/wars	First Indochina War Battle of Dien Bien Phu Suez Crisis Algerian War
Awards	Cross for Military Valour Combatant's Cross Colonial Medal Indochina North Africa Middle East

Jean Louis Marie Le Pen (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ maʁi lə pɛn]; born 20 June 1928) is a French politician who served as President of the far-right National Front from 1972 to 2011. He also served as Honorary President of the National Front from 2011 to 2015.

Le Pen graduated from the faculty of law in Paris in 1949. After his time in the military, he studied political science and law at Panthéon-Assas University.

Le Pen focuses 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 have made him a figure who polarizes opinion, considered the "Devil of the Republic" among his opponents or the "last samurai in politics" among his supporters. He has been convicted for statements downplaying the Holocaust, and fined for incitement to discrimination regarding remarks made about Muslims in France.

His longevity in politics and his five attempts to become President of France have made him a major figure in French political life. His unexpected progress to the second round in the 2002 presidential election—where he would lose in a landslide to incumbent Jacques Chirac—left its mark on French public life, and the "21st of April" is now a frequently used expression in France. A former Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Le Pen served as the Honorary President of the National Front from 2011 to 2015. He was expelled from the party by his daughter Marine in 2015, after new controversial statements.