Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French politician, has died at the age of 96.

Le Pen, who had been in a care facility for several weeks, passed away on Tuesday afternoon, “surrounded by his loved ones,” according to a statement from his family.

Jean-Marie Le Pen was a French military officer and politician, serving as the leader of the “National Front” party from 1972 to 2011. Although he had retired from French political life many years ago, the mark left by the co-founder of the National Front on the country’s political landscape remains significant.

Le Pen shocked the French political establishment when he advanced to the second round of the 2002 presidential elections, facing Jacques Chirac. He capitalized on a mix of combative spirit and eloquence, which redefined the parameters of French politics over a 40-year career. By tapping into voter discontent over immigration and job security, he, in some ways, “foreshadowed” the rise of Donald Trump to the White House in subsequent years.

In one way or another, Jean-Marie Le Pen spent his life fighting—whether as a soldier in France’s colonial wars, as the founder of the National Front participating in five presidential elections, or in public disputes with his daughters and ex-wife.

His views on the European Union portrayed it as a supranational project that usurped the powers of nation-states.

His daughter, Marine Le Pen, succeeded him as head of the party and has since run for the presidency three times. She renamed the party to “National Rally” and transformed it into one of France’s major political forces.