Jean-Marie Le Pen, the former leader of the French far Right, has been placed under the legal guardianship of his family, which may allow him to avoid an impending fraud trial.

The 95-year-old, who has been in frail health for some time, co-founded and led the National Front and in 2002 stunned France by making the run-off ballot in presidential elections.

The legal guardianship was granted at the request of his family, a senior party figure said on Wednesday.

His daughter Marine took over the reins of the party, renaming it the National Rally (RN) and seeking to move it toward the political mainstream, even as opponents accuse it of being inherently racist.

Mr Le Pen has been placed by a court outside Paris “under a regime of judicial protection”, Louis Aliot, the RN’s deputy leader, said.

The ruling, issued after medical tests, will allow his children to take decisions in his name.

According to several of those close to him, Mr Le Pen’s health has declined significantly since he suffered a heart attack in April 2023.

The move also raises questions over whether Mr Le Pen will be able to stand trial alongside his daughter and two dozen others from Sept 30 on charges they used European Union funds to finance party activities in France.

They are accused of using parliamentary money to pay for assistants who in fact worked for the RN. The party denies the charges.

“I think the court will have to decide that he can neither appear at, nor testify, nor participate in this trial,” Mr Aliot said. A decision on his participation must be announced at the beginning of July.

The trial will also be a crucial moment for Marine Le Pen, who is widely expected to make a fourth bid for the presidency in 2027, with analysts saying she has her best chance yet of winning the Elysee Palace.