Marine Le Pen regrets expelling her father over anti-Semitism

Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in French far-right politics, publicly expressed her remorse over the expulsion of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from the political party he founded. This revelation came shortly after her father's passing at the age of 96 on January 7, 2025. The expulsion occurred in 2015 due to Jean-Marie Le Pen's controversial remarks regarding the Holocaust and the Nazi occupation of France, which Marine Le Pen believed jeopardized her efforts to 'detoxify' the party's image. She acknowledged in a recent interview with Le Journal du Dimanche that the decision was one of the most difficult choices of her life, causing immense pain to her father. Despite their previous conflicts, the two reconciled before his death. Jean-Marie's remarks, particularly his assertion that the Nazi gas chambers were merely 'a detail of history,' were pivotal in Marine's decision to distance the party from its founding figure to present a more moderate stance. This disclosed regret highlights the complex dynamics within one of France's most controversial political families, as Marine continues her quest for the presidency, having run three times already and preparing for another possible run in 2027. The political and familial tensions surrounding their relationship bring to light the challenges faced by those in leadership positions when it comes to managing personal and party legacies.