Vandals have defaced the grave of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s far-right National Front, according to a statement from his family on Friday.
Marion Marechal, the granddaughter of Le Pen, announced on her X account that a grave in the La Trinité-sur-Mer cemetery in Brittany was found vandalized on Friday, three weeks following his passing at the age of 96.
“You have desecrated the resting place of our forebears. Do you believe you can shatter our spirits, instill fear in us, or dissuade us? Our answer will be to resist you with even greater resolve, from one generation to the next. Our commitment will be as strong as your disgrace,” Marechal stated on X.
Le Pen was a polarizing figure in France, capitalizing on the frustrations of the white working class regarding immigration and globalization, while also downplaying the significance of the Holocaust. Following the announcement of his death, hundreds gathered in central Paris to celebrate.
His daughter, Marine Le Pen, who succeeded him as leader of the party, has rebranded it as the National Rally and is working to attract a broader base of centrist voters, positioning herself as a potential candidate for the French presidency in 2027.
In response to the vandalism of Le Pen’s grave, National Rally lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy stated that such acts would not influence the party’s policies.
“I suspect this was carried out by the same individuals who celebrated the death of a man at Place de la République. It reflects more on them than on us,” Tanguy remarked.
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