French far-right firebrand Le Pen dies

The veteran politician led the National Front Party from 1972 to 2011

The founder of the French National Front party (now named National Rally), Jean-Marie Le Pen, has died at the age of 96 at a care facility “surrounded by his loved ones,” his family said in a statement cited by national media.

Born in 1928 to a fisherman and a seamstress, Le Pen worked in numerous occupations throughout his life, including fisherman, deep-sea miner, and apartment surveyor.