Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le PenReuters

French National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen is suing Madonna's ex boyfriend, Brahim Zaibat, for taking an unflattering selfie photo with Le Pen which he says led to his defeat in a key election in December.

Le Pen, 87, was fast asleep on a plane when Zaibat, 29, took the photo.

Zaibat shared the photo on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. He urged voters not to back Le Pen's National Front (NF) party in the second round of regional elections in December.

"Let's all vote tomorrow to give them a knock-out blow, to preserve our brotherly France," wrote Zaibat, a professional dancer who dated Madonna for three years.

The next day, the NF failed to win a single region in the elections, despite being ahead in six out of 13. Le Pen said the photo harmed his public image, and contributed to his party's defeat in the elections.

France's Public magazine reported that the politician is asking for a full written apology from Zaibat, and around £40,000. Le Pen will sue Zaibat for an additional £8,000 for every day that goes by until he apologizes and pays him.

The court case will be heard in a civil court in Paris on January 22.

Jean-Marie Le Pen's daughter, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front, warned three years ago that she may sue Madonna for superimposing a swastika on her forehead in a video presentation that accompanied her show in Israel.

Madonna performed a one-night show in Tel Aviv that included videos of different faces, including one of Le Pen with a superimposed swastika.