Le Pen ousted from the party he founded

Jean-Marie Le Pen, who co-founded France’s far-right Nationwide Entrance, has been excluded from the social gathering following a disciplinary listening to.

He has already won three court battles with his daughter, who was forced to cancel a mail-in vote to remove her father’s title as the National Front’s honorary president for life.

He has repeatedly told interviewers the gas chambers were a “detail of history” and has said the wartime collaborator Marshal Philippe Pétain was not a “traitor”.

Bruno Gollnisch, a member of the party’s old guard also present at the hearing, said earlier it “would be stupefying” if Jean-Marie Le Pen was excluded from the National Front.

France has been treated since then to a father-daughter political feud of rare virulence, one that at first riveted the French public but more recently has seemed to irritate it.

Le Pen has for years been in conflict with his daughter Marine, who took over the leadership of the party from him in 2011 and had tried to steer it away from its overtly racist and anti-Semitic policies.

His lawyer, Frédéric Joachim, told French radio the “National Front, in killing its own founder, has in a certain way committed suicide”.

But the octogenarian firebrand showed little interest in going quietly, successfully challenging his suspension in court and barging onto the stage during a major FN rally in May.

Ms Le Pen is believed to be considering a run for the French presidency in 2017 and wants to distance herself from her outspoken father, who has been convicted numerous times of racism and anti-Semitism.

But Mr Le Pen has been an awkward reminder of the group’s roots – a “parasite” on the party, says Mr Philippot – when it should be focusing on regional polls in December.

He proudly advertised his friendships with some of the most notorious surviving collaborators from the second World War – relationships that marginalised him and his party.

Three hours later, Le Pen emerged sounding conciliatory.

Her father’s expulsion marks an important step in Marine Le Pen’s four-year effort to “de-Satanise” the party.

Le Pen contested the executive bureau’s right to judge him, according to a statement issued mid-way through the hearing.

Florian Philippot said on BFM-TV that Thursday’s decision to kick out the 87-year-old Le Pen was justified because he went “from provocation to provocation” in a “work of destruction”.

Le Pen supporters contended the expulsion decision was surprisingly speedy, and the party acknowledged Friday it had yet to be signed by executive bureau members.