For years, the far-right National Rally tried to distance itself from Mr. Le Pen’s racist and antisemitic remarks. But after his death Tuesday, it hailed him as a visionary.

French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, center, flanked by his daughter Marine Le Pen, and Bruno Gollnisch, arrives for a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Joan of Arc, within the party's traditional May Day march Saturday May 1, 2010, in Paris. Credit: AP/Jacques Brinon

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

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. It was originally published at The Conversation. The death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, former leader of the party once known

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.

The French Left-wing opposition has defended public displays of joy that followed the death of the far-Right veteran Jean-Marie Le Pen.

The Place de la République, Paris, France Video Recording Date/Time: January 7, 2025 at 20:10h The nationalist and founder of the French far-right National Rally party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, died aged 96 on Tuesday,