Le Pen, Jean-Marie (1928—)

Born on June 20, 1928, Jean-Marie Le Pen has brought the French far right back to the political scene from where it was excluded because of its extensive collaboration with the Nazis during the Second World War.

His early interest in politics led him to become one of the youngest members of the French Parliament when he was elected on the populist politician Pierre Poujade list in 1956, after having led several rightist movements when he was a student. Though he was drawn back to a relative obscurity in the 1970s, he was brought back to light by two events. First, he was made rich thanks to the death of the owner of the Lambert Concrete Manufactories, Hubert Lambert, who had made him his sole heir. ...