Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s National Rally and a dominant figure in the country’s populist right, has voiced deep regret over her decision to expel her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from the party he founded. The remarks came in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche just days after Jean-Marie Le Pen passed away at the age of 96.
“I will never forgive myself for this decision because I know it caused him immense pain,” she said, reflecting on the 2015 expulsion that followed her father’s controversial statements, including minimizing the Holocaust and downplaying the Nazi occupation of France. At the time, she condemned the remarks as a “political mistake” that jeopardized her efforts to rebrand the party, formerly known as the National Front, into the National Rally.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, a polarizing figure whose political career spanned nearly 80 years, was known for his provocative rhetoric. Marine, seeking to “detoxify” the party’s image, ultimately severed ties with him, a move she now describes as “one of the most difficult decisions of my life.”
Marine Le Pen has since steered the party into the political mainstream. Under her leadership, the National Rally has become the largest party in parliament, commanding support from over 30 percent of voters. She is widely seen as a frontrunner in the 2027 presidential race.
Her father’s passing has elicited tributes from across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister François Bayrou, who described Jean-Marie Le Pen as “a major figure in French political life,” and President Emmanuel Macron, who noted that “history will judge” his legacy. Marine expressed surprise and gratitude for these acknowledgments, stating, “We have been so mistreated and subjected to systematic unfavourable treatment that I was pleasantly surprised.”
Jean-Marie Le Pen was laid to rest in a private ceremony on Saturday in his hometown of La Trinité-sur-Mer in Brittany. His legacy, marked by both controversy and political endurance, continues to shape the trajectory of France’s far-right movement.
