France, April 16 -- The family of Dr Martin Luther King have criticised far-right leader Marine Le Pen for comparing her ban from running in the 2027 presidential election to the US civil rights movement, describing the comparison as an "inappropriate distortion of history".

During a rally last Sunday, Marine Le Pen, a leader of the far-right, anti-immigration National Rally (RN), called on her supporters to "take inspiration" from the American struggle for racial equality to help her win back the right to run in the 2027 presidential election.

She used Dr King's name several times.

Le Pen also made a video appearance at the congress of Italy's far-right Lega party on 6 April, claiming to be fighting the French equivalent of the black ...