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Euro MPs in move to block Le Pen Le Pen defiant on Holocaust claim
(about 6 hours later)
Efforts are under way to prevent the veteran French far-right leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from chairing a European Parliament session in July. The veteran French far-right leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, has repeated his much-criticised claim that the Nazi gas chambers were "a detail of history".
Mr Le Pen, 80, heads the National Front (FN). As the oldest MEP, he is in line to chair parliament's inaugural session after June's European elections. "I merely said that the gas chambers were a detail of the history of the world war, which is an obvious fact," Mr Le Pen told the European Parliament.
Under the rules, the oldest MEP - the "doyen" - chairs the session until a new parliament president is elected. His remark drew boos and whistles from MEPs. He was fined 1.2m francs ($290,000) for the same claim in 1987.
The Socialists and Greens have proposed a rule change to block him. The Nazis murdered at least six million Jews in death camps in World War II.
Hundreds of thousands of others were also killed there, including Roma gypsies and disabled people.
Mr Le Pen, the 80-year-old National Front (FN) leader, repeated his claim as MEPs moved to prevent him from chairing the inaugural session of the new parliament, set for 14 July.
Earlier, the head of the Socialist group, German MEP Martin Schulz, said he was "concerned that a Holocaust denier could preside over the inaugural session" on 14 July.
They'll probably also adopt a resolution to stop the Earth rotating Jean-Marie Le PenThey'll probably also adopt a resolution to stop the Earth rotating Jean-Marie Le Pen
Mr Le Pen espouses staunchly nationalist policies and is running for re-election. In 1987 he controversially called the Nazi Holocaust a "detail of history". The French news agency AFP says some of the leading groups in the parliament have now agreed to bar Mr Le Pen from chairing the session. As the oldest MEP - the "doyen" - he is in line to do so after June's European elections.
The head of the Socialist group, German MEP Martin Schulz, said he was "concerned that a Holocaust denier could preside over the inaugural session" on 14 July. The rules say the doyen chairs the session until a new parliament president is elected. But the Socialists and Greens proposed a rule change to block Mr Le Pen.
He espouses staunchly nationalist policies and is running for re-election.
The Greens co-president, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, said "we would like to see the youngest deputy open the session, not because of Le Pen, but because it's a sign of the future".The Greens co-president, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, said "we would like to see the youngest deputy open the session, not because of Le Pen, but because it's a sign of the future".
Mr Le Pen described their manoeuvre as "idiotic". "It's just like them to do this. They'll probably also adopt a resolution to stop the Earth rotating," he said.Mr Le Pen described their manoeuvre as "idiotic". "It's just like them to do this. They'll probably also adopt a resolution to stop the Earth rotating," he said.
A rule change would require the agreement of all the political groups' leaders in the parliament.A rule change would require the agreement of all the political groups' leaders in the parliament.
One of them, liberal ALDE leader Graham Watson, opposed such a move, saying: "There is no reason to treat Mr Le Pen differently from others, even if we hate his politics." But there was some dissent. Liberal ALDE leader Graham Watson - speaking before Mr Le Pen repeated his gas chambers statement - said: "There is no reason to treat Mr Le Pen differently from others, even if we hate his politics".
Joseph Daul MEP, who heads the conservative EPP-ED bloc, the largest group, said he would examine the proposed rule change, but hoped that Mr Le Pen would be absent on 14 July, a French national holiday.