Le Pen divides France in death; Interior Minister calls celebrations ‘shameful’

Jean-Marie Le Pen's death sparks mixed reactions in France, with jubilation and condemnation of his divisive legacy.

The co-founder of France's main postwar far-right movement Jean-Marie Le Pen divided the country even beyond the grave on Wednesday, with the government slamming street celebrations that took place in some French cities after his death.

Le Pen, co-founder of the National Front (FN) died on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) aged 96, leaving a legacy which the French presidency said would be judged by history. The right praised his contribution to politics but the left hailed the demonstrations and branded him a "fascist" who was openly racist and anti-Semitic.

In the hours after his death, hundreds of people took to the streets in several cities in France to celebrate his demise, singing, letting off fireworks and toasting with champagne.

Jubilant opponents of Le Pen cheered as they gathered in Place de la Republique in central Paris for what they dubbed an "apero geant" (giant aperitif), brandishing placards including "the dirty racist is dead" and "a beautiful day".

"Nothing, absolutely nothing justifies dancing on a corpse. The death of a man, even if he is a political opponent, should inspire only restraint and dignity," Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau wrote on X.

"These scenes of jubilation are simply shameful," he added.

Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu told Europe 1 radio: "The political struggle is for the living, so we must continue with the living but respect the dead. It is a question of dignity."