French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen has died at the age of 96

French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen has died at the age of 96, his family said in a statement released to AFP.

Le Peng, who had been in solitary confinement for several weeks, died at noon on Tuesday “surrounded by his loved ones,” his family said.

Le Pen – a Holocaust denier and a staunch extremist on issues of race, gender and immigration – founded France’s far-right National Front party in 1972.

He achieved the presidential election against Jacques Chirac in 2002.

Le Pen’s daughter, Marine, took over as party leader in 2011. She has since renamed the party National Unity, turning it into one of the main political forces in France.

Jordan Bardella, who will succeed Marine Le Pen as party leader in 2022, said Jean-Marie had “always served France” and “defended its identity and sovereignty”.