French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen dies at 96

A polarising figure in French politics, Mr Le Pen’s controversial statements, including Holocaust denial, led to multiple convictions and strained his political alliances

Former far-right National Front party leader Jean-Marie Le Pen clenches his fist at the statue of Joan of Arc in Paris (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP)

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right French politician who founded the National Front party, has died at the age of 96.

Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally as the party is now known, confirmed Mr Le Pen’s death in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.