‘No One Mourns the Wicked’ trends in France following the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the controversial far-right French politician and founder of the National Front, has passed away at the age of 96. His death has sparked widespread reactions across France, including an unexpected cultural twist: lyrics from the Wicked song “No One Mourns the Wicked” began trending on X (formerly Twitter) as users reacted to his polarizing legacy.

Le Pen’s political career shaped the far-right landscape in France. From his early election as France’s youngest lawmaker in 1956 to founding the National Front (now National Rally) in 1972, Le Pen was a defining figure in postwar French politics. However, his alignment with wartime Nazi collaborators and staunch nationalist rhetoric earned him significant criticism throughout his career.

While some political figures, like RN party president Jordan Bardella, honored Le Pen's legacy, saying he “always served France,” others condemned his actions. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, stated, “Respect for the dignity of the dead...does not erase the right to judge their actions. Those of Jean-Marie Le Pen remain intolerable.”

Against this backdrop, lyrics of Wicked’s theatrical anthem surged on social media. French users of X paired the song's lyrics with commentary on Le Pen’s divisive history, turning the line “No one mourns the wicked” into a viral refrain.