Jean-Marie Le Pen espoused racist and antisemitic rhetoric that landed him in legal trouble in France, where Holocaust denial is illegal.

The founder of France’s far-right National Front who was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration has died

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the longtime figurehead of France's far-right political movement and father of its current leader, has reportedly died.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the French right-wing nationalist party formerly known as the National Front, has died aged 96, news agency AFP reported on Tuesday, citing Le Pen's family. The head of the party,

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s main far-right National Front party and an unrepentant extremist on race, immigration and multiculturalism, has died aged 96. Le Pen had been in a care facility for several weeks and died at midday on Tuesday “surrounded by his loved ones”, the family said in a statement.

He ran unsuccessfully for the French presidency five times, riding waves of discontent and xenophobia as the leader of the National Front party.

Le Pen - an unrepentant extremist on race, gender and immigration - founded the far-right National Front in 1972.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has paid tribute to her late father Jean-Marie, the founder of the National Front party, calling him a “warrior” in politics

Demonstrators were seen setting off fireworks and chanting slogans in Republic Square on Tuesday. Earlier that day, Le Pen, the founder of the National Front party, died at the age of 96.