Le Pen to sue Madonna’s ex-partner over unflattering selfie

Paris: Jean-Marie Le Pen is to sue a French dancer who took an unflattering selfie in which the former far-Right Front National leader can be seen snoozing, open-mouthed, on a plane.

The photograph was taken by Brahim Zaibat, an ex-boyfriend of Madonna, who is a dancer and former winner of the French version of Strictly Come Dancing. Le Pen said it breached his privacy and damaged his party’s electoral chances.

Zaibat was seated behind the far-Right firebrand, who was recently ousted as the FN’s honorary president by his daughter and successor, Marine.

In the image the dancer grins, wide-eyed, as Le Pen takes a nap on a domestic flight.

He shared the photo on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, calling on followers and the public at large to vote against the FN in the second round of December’s regional elections.

Polls suggested the far-Right was poised to win up to four of 12 regions.

“Let’s all vote tomorrow to give them a knock-out blow. To preserve our fraternal France,” read the text posted by the dancer, which notched up tens of thousands of “likes”.

The next day, the FN failed to win a single region.

Zaibat admitted he had taken the photo two months previously and had timed its release for maximum effect.

Furious, Le Pen said the photo “harmed his image and was instrumental in the defeat of the party led by Marine,” according to Public magazine. He is claiming euros 50,000 (pounds 37,000) in damages and a written apology on social media.

Failing that, he is demanding euros 10,000 for each day that Zaibat fails to say sorry after the ruling.

“It’s my private life and I want to protect myself against this type of behaviour,”

Le Pen told the rue89 website.

According to Public, Le Pen’s complaint mentions Madonna, who said she might take legal action against the far-Right ex-leader in response.