Jean-Marie Le Pen risks expulsion from French far-right party in new chapter in family feud

Jean-Marie le Pen, right, former head of far-right party National Front, his lawyer Frederic Joachim and his wife Jany arrive at the party headquarters in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Thursday, Aug 20, 2015. Le Pen risks suspension or exclusion from the far-right National Front he helped found more than four decades ago in a new effort by his daughter, the president, to oust him. At left is a statue of Joan of Arc. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this May 1, 2015 file photo, France’s far-right National Front president Marine Le Pen delivers her speech during May Day march, in Paris, France. Her father Jean-Marie Le Pen risks suspension or exclusion Thursday Aug.20, 2015 from the far-right National Front he helped found more than four decades ago as his daughter begins a new effort to oust him. Le Pen, 87, was summoned by daughter who has said she will not be present at the high-stakes meeting . (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File) (The Associated Press)

Jean-Marie le Pen, former head of far-right party National Front, arrives at the party headquarters in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Thursday, Aug 20, 2015. Le Pen risks suspension or exclusion from the far-right National Front he helped found more than four decades ago in a new effort by his daughter, the president, to oust him.(AP Photo/Jacques Brinon) (The Associated Press)

France's Jean-Marie Le Pen risks suspension or exclusion from the far-right National Front he helped found more than four decades ago as his daughter, the party president, begins a new effort to oust him.

The family feud opens a new chapter Thursday when the elder Le Pen is to appear before the party's eight-member executive bureau to defend himself against 15 complaints. The complaints target recent public statements by Le Pen in which he downplayed Nazi gas chambers and insulted his daughter.

Le Pen, 87, was summoned by daughter Marine Le Pen, who has said she will not be present at the high-stakes meeting.

Marine Le Pen, her sights on France's 2017 presidential race, has worked to clean up the image of the anti-immigrant party.