jean-marie le pen founded the fn in 1972 and has been its leader ever since. he became a member of the european parliament (mep) in 1984 and has run for president of france five times; in 1974, 1988, 1995, 2002 and 2007. he came second in the 2002 election. le pen has often been considered to have xenophobic and antisemitic views and was accused of having practised torture when he fought in the algerian war (1954-1962). he was suspended from the fn on 4 may 2015.