French far-right party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen in hospital after minor stroke

FILE PHOTO: French far-right National Front (FN) founder Jean-Marie Le Pen delivers a speech during a May Day ceremony in front of the statue of Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) in Paris, France, May 1, 2019. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

PARIS (Reuters) - The co-founder and former president of French far-right party Front National (National Front), Jean-Marie Le Pen, 93, is in hospital following a minor stroke, one of his advisors said on Thursday.

Lorrain de Saint Affrique, confirming a report on BFM TV, told Reuters that Le Pen went into hospital on Wednesday evening and that he is expected to leave the hospital within 36 hours.

"Examinations today have shown that there is nothing to worry about, there is nothing threatening," he said.

Le Pen's daughter, Marine Le Pen, took over the party in 2011 and later changed its name to Rassemblement National (National Rally) as she sought to move the party away from its reputation as racist and xenophobic.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau, writing by GV De Clercq; editing by Richard Lough)