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Duelling Dynasties, Power Games and Dirty Politics

© AFP 2023Marine Le Pen (right) and her father Jean-Marie Le Pen
Marine Le Pen (right) and her father Jean-Marie Le Pen - Sputnik International
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The bitter family feud between French National Front leader Marine Le Pen and her father Jean-Marie is just the latest in a litany of duelling dynasties among the political classes of the world.

The Le Pen battle between father and daughter began when Le Pen senior gave an interview to the far-right magazine Rivarol in which he said that Nazi gas chambers were a "detail of history" and defended the actions of defending Philippe Petain, the leader of the war-time government that cooperated with Nazi Germany.

Marine Le Pen retaliated publicly by lambasting him in the media. "Jean-Marie Le Pen seems to have descended into a strategy somewhere between scorched earth and political suicide," she said in a statement.

© Sputnik / Collage"His status as honorary president does not give him the right to hijack the National Front with vulgar provocations seemingly designed to damage me but which unfortunately hit the whole movement," Marine Le Pen said of her father's remarks made in an interview with the far-right magazine Rivarol.
His status as honorary president does not give him the right to hijack the National Front with vulgar provocations seemingly designed to damage me but which unfortunately hit the whole movement, Marine Le Pen said of her father's remarks made in an interview with the far-right magazine Rivarol. - Sputnik International
"His status as honorary president does not give him the right to hijack the National Front with vulgar provocations seemingly designed to damage me but which unfortunately hit the whole movement," Marine Le Pen said of her father's remarks made in an interview with the far-right magazine Rivarol.

Fraternal Feuding

Yet this is not the only time a family rift has opened up in the murky world of politics. British Labour Party leader Ed Milband was elected as the youngest ever leader of his party, by beating his own brother to the post.

© Flickr / Department of EnergyEd Miliband was not initially thought to be leadership material, particularly as his brother David — a former Foreign Secretary (one of the major Cabinet positions) — was tipped for the top.
Ed Miliband was not initially thought to be leadership material, particularly as his brother David — a former Foreign Secretary (one of the major Cabinet positions) — was tipped for the top. - Sputnik International
Ed Miliband was not initially thought to be leadership material, particularly as his brother David — a former Foreign Secretary (one of the major Cabinet positions) — was tipped for the top.

But the peculiarities of the Labour voting system meant that Ed Miliband led the race, because of the weight of the block-vote wielded by the unions, who backed him.

His brother David led among votes by MPs and Members of the European Parliament. However, after second, third and fourth preferences votes were counted, Ed defeated his brother by 1.3%.

David Miliband resigned from frontline politics, saying he would not join his brother's shadow Cabinet and eventually quit politics to head up a charity in the US. 

Republican Rumpus 

In the US, in 2013, ex-Vice President Dick Cheney's two daughters fell out over gay marriage when Mary Cheney — a long-standing advocate of gay rights, hit out at her sister Liz's opposition to gay marriage. Liz was then standing for a Senate seat.

© AP PhotoLiz Cheney (left) and her sister Mary Cheney (right)
Liz Cheney (left) and her sister Mary Cheney (right) - Sputnik International
Liz Cheney (left) and her sister Mary Cheney (right)

"Liz — this isn't just an issue on which we disagree — you're just wrong — and on the wrong side of history," Mary wrote after seeing her sister expounding her view on Fox News.  

Cash Clash

Meanwhile, in September 2014, the son of veteran British Conservative MP Bill Cash — named, rather unoriginally, William — sparked a father son row when the younger William announced he is to stand in this year's general election as a UKIP candidate and act as heritage spokesman.

It prompted his father Bill to say: "It is completely absurd to imagine that UKIP can change anything. I completely disassociate myself from whatever it is that he is supposed to have done."

© Sputnik / CollageBritish Conservative MP Bill Cash (left) and his son William (right)
British Conservative MP Bill Cash (left) and his son William (right) - Sputnik International
British Conservative MP Bill Cash (left) and his son William (right)

Young William responded by writing to his father — via the pages of the Daily Telegraph — to say: "We are used to political wars in the Cash family, though we try to keep politics and family separate." His father was not amused.

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