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Jean-Marie Le Pen: The End of the "Legend" of the Far Right in France

Jean-Marie Le Pen has long described himself as "the legend," and although opinions differ on this characterization, his legacy as one of the prominent figures of the French far right has not been erased from history. Le Pen, who reached the finals of the presidential election in 2002, passed away at the age of 96 in the Paris region.
His family announced in a statement circulated in the media that Jean-Marie Le Pen died on Tuesday afternoon, surrounded by his loved ones. He often said, "Yes, I will leave a mark in history because I am a legend at heart," emphasizing the success of his political life.
Jean-Marie Le Pen was born on June 20, 1928, in the French municipality of La Trinité, and he was educated at a boarding school in Vannes. In the 1940s, he enrolled in the Faculty of Law at the University of Paris, before embarking on a military career by joining the French Foreign Legion in 1954, serving in several countries including Algeria and Indochina.
After returning to France, Le Pen became a follower of the writer and politician Pierre Poujade, who led a protest movement against taxes during that period. In 1956, he was elected as the youngest member of the National Assembly, and he was reelected in 1958, but was defeated in 1962, prompting him to establish an association that recorded Nazi speeches and military songs.
The year 1972 was pivotal in his career, as he founded the National Front party (now the National Rally), which he viewed as a vessel for far-right ideology. From its inception, the party focused on what it considered the threat of immigration, particularly from France's former colonies in North Africa.
Le Pen did not believe in the equality of races and fought to promote a culture of xenophobia. He stated in a televised interview in 1996: "I believe in the inequality of races, and history clearly shows that. They do not have the same ability or level of development."
He opposed European integration and called for the reinstatement of the death penalty, as well as a ban on the construction of new mosques in France. He was involved in several political controversies due to his provocative positions, having been sentenced in the 1960s to suspended prison time for "apologizing for war crimes," and was convicted in the 1980s for violating laws prohibiting Holocaust denial.
Despite this, Le Pen garnered significant support from the working class, which was affected by rising crime and unemployment rates during the 1980s and 1990s, although this support did not translate into substantial electoral votes. Le Pen ran for the presidency several times but secured only 1% of the vote in 1974 and 15% in 1988 and 1995.
Le Pen achieved a notable accomplishment in 2002 when he defeated Prime Minister Lionel Jospin in the first round of the election, but he lost easily in the second round. In 2007, he received over 10% of the votes in the first round, which was not enough to qualify him for the runoff.
In 2010, Le Pen announced that he would step down from leadership of the National Rally, and his daughter, Marine Le Pen, who is 56 years old, was appointed as his successor in January 2011. Marine Le Pen faced current French President Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections but was also unable to achieve victory.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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