Marion Anne Perrine "Marine" Le Pen is a French lawyer and politician who served as the leader of the National Front (FN) from 2011 to 2017. The daughter of long-time FN leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, she was intuitively drawn to politics from a young age. Her father is a major—and controversial—figure in French politics, and being his daughter proved to be both a boon and a bane for the ambitious lady. Bright and hardworking from her school days, she studied law at Panthéon-Assas University, eventually earning a master’s degree and a Master of Advanced Studies (DEA) in criminal law. She embarked on a highly successful legal career and practiced as a lawyer for several years. Meanwhile, she also became involved in politics and joined FN. Working alongside her father, she rose through the ranks pretty quickly and eventually became one of the two executive vice-presidents of the FN. Her rising stature within the party ensured her election as the party president in 2011. Aiming to become the president of France, she stood in the 2012 French presidential election. Though she did not win, her participation in the national election further strengthened the position of her party. In April 2016, Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy for the 2017 French presidential election.