Jean-Marie Le Pen espoused racist and antisemitic rhetoric that landed him in legal trouble in France, where Holocaust denial is illegal.

In a poll on January 5th of the 50 favourite French public figures, the only politicians who featured were Ms Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, her lieutenant. Jean-Marie Le Pen inhabited the unfrequentable margins. Ms Le Pen has never looked closer to power. ■

For years, the far-right National Rally tried to distance itself from Mr. Le Pen’s racist and antisemitic remarks. But after his death Tuesday, it hailed him as a visionary.