French court returns mixed decision in Le Pens’ feud

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Far-right leader Marine le Pen smiles as she inaugurates her campaign headquarters, Wednesday, Nov.16, 2016 in Paris. Le Pen is convinced that her anti-immigration, anti-Islam views can lead her to the presidency in five months. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS – A French court has upheld a decision by far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party to expel her father as a member, but said that he can remain the honorary president of the party he founded.

As a result, the court Thursday ordered the National Front to summon Jean-Marie Le Pen to any meetings he’s entitled to attend as honorary president.

“No statutory provisions specify that the honorary president must be a member of the National Front”, the judges said.

The party expelled the 88-year-old for multiple controversial comments, including referring to Nazi gas chambers as a “detail” of World War II history.

Marine Le Pen has distanced herself from her father’s extremist views since taking over the party. She is a candidate for next spring’s French presidential election.

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