French rightists elect woman as leader

TOURS, France, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- France's far-right National Front party has elected the daughter of its leader for 40 years to run the group, media reports said.

At a convention in Tours, Marine Le Pen was elected by secret ballot Friday to succeed her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, France 24 reported Saturday.

The 42-year-old woman has made frequent media appearances in recent months, but skirted anti-immigration issues her father and senior party members focus on, France 24 said.

By replacing her father, who led the party for 40 years and ran in five presidential elections, Le Pen has created divisions within her party, the report said.

She beat 60-year-old party vice president Bruno Gollnisch, considered by some to be the natural heir to the party's leadership, Radio France Internationale said.

He was convicted of a hate crime offense in 2007 for disparaging remarks he made about the Holocaust.