French judicial authorities have placed former leader of the French far right Jean-Marie Le Pen, 95, under legal guardianship at the request of his family as his health declines, a senior party figure said Wednesday, reports Yahoo! News.
Le Pen, who has been in frail health for some time, co-founded and led the National Front (FN) and in 2002 stunned France by making the run-off ballot in presidential elections.
His daughter Marine took over the reins of the party, renaming it the National Rally (RN) and seeking to move it toward the political mainstream, even as opponents accuse it of being inherently racist.
Jean-Marie Le Pen has been placed by a court outside Paris "under a regime of judicial protection", the RN's deputy leader Louis Aliot said.
The ruling, issued after medical tests, will allow his children to take decisions in his name. Such rulings are issued in France when the health of a person declines to a point they may need assistance to make decisions.