United Republic

United Republic (République solidaire, RS) is a centre-right political party in France launched by Dominique de Villepin, a former Prime Minister, on 18 June 2010.

The party was set up as the vehicle through which Villepin hoped to contest the 2012 presidential election in competition with his rival Nicolas Sarkozy. Both Villepin and Sarkozy hailed from the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

The party was joined, among others, by three former ministers (Brigitte Girardin, Azouz Begag, François Goulard), nine deputies (Marie-Anne Montchamp, Marc Bernier, Daniel Garrigue, Guy Geoffroy, François Goulard, Jean-Pierre Grand, Jacques Le Guen, Michel Raison, Jean Ueberschlag, Jean-Luc Warsmann) and one senator (Pierre Jarlier). Most of its parliamentarians were members of the UMP and its parliamentary group, blurring the difference between RS and UMP.

In November 2010 Marie-Anne Montchamp, the party's spokesperson, was appointed by Sarkozy to serve in François Fillon's third government in a move that was meant to undermine RS.^[1][2] The party did not agree with Montchamp's choice and dismissed her as party spokesperson.^[3] In 2011, Daniel Garrigue^[4] and Jean-Luc Warsmann left RS.

Villepin announced his bid for the French presidency in December 2011, but his candidacy in 2012 was unsuccessful because he failed to secure the necessary endorsements from elected officials.^[5] Almost all of its deputies subsequently retired or lost reelection in the 2012 legislative elections, only Guy Geoffroy (Seine-et-Marne) was returned. The party still exists but appears dormant.

Leadership

• President: Dominique de Villepin (2010–present)
• Secretary-General: Brigitte Girardin (2010–2011), Marc Bernier (2011–present)
• Spokesperson: Marie-Anne Montchamp (2010), Daniel Garrigue (2010–2011), Brigitte Girardin (2011–present)

Elected officials

• Deputies: Guy Geoffroy (Seine-et-Marne)
• Senators: Pierre Jarlier (Cantal)

External links

• Official website

References

Political parties in France
National Assembly (577 seats)	Socialist Party (280) The Republicans (194) Union of Democrats and Independents (29) New Centre 8 Radical Party 6 Democratic European Force 4 Tahoera'a Huiraatira 3 Caledonia Together 2 Centrist Alliance 2 National Centre of Independents and Peasants 1 Territories in Movement 1 Miscellaneous left2 (22) Europe Écologie – The Greens2 (17) Miscellaneous right (15) Left Front (10) French Communist Party 9 Left Party 3 Radical Party of the Left2 (12) Citizen and Republican Movement (3) Others (3) National Front–RBM (2) The Centre for France (2)
Senate (343 seats)	The Republicans (126) Socialist Party (117) Union of Democrats and Independents (44) French Communist Party (17) Radical Party of the Left2 (11) Europe Écologie – The Greens2 (10) National Front (2)
European Parliament (74 seats)	National Front (ENF, 24) The Republicans (EPP, 20) Socialist Party (S&D, 12) Europe Écologie – The Greens2 (G–EFA, 6) Democratic Movement (ALDE, 4) Union of Democrats and Independents (ALDE, 2) Radical Party 1 Centrist Alliance 1 Left Front (EUL–NGL, 4) French Communist Party 1 Left Party 1 Communist Party of Réunion 1 Nous Citoyens (ALDE, 1) Radical Party of the Left2 (S&D, 1)
Extra-parliamentary/Local	United Republic Movement for France Arise the Republic National Centre of Independents and Peasants Abertzaleen Batasuna Alsace First Breton Democratic Union Breton Party Christian Democratic Party1 Ecology Generation Independent Ecological Movement Independent Workers' Party Liberal Democratic Party New Anticapitalist Party Occitan Party Pè a Corsica Corsica Libera The Progressives1 Republican Left of Catalonia Savoyan League Savoy Region Movement Unitarian Left Unser Land Lutte Ouvrière
Notes:1,2,3 and4. Numbers denote party affiliations, 1 is for parties linked to The Republicans, formerly the Union for a Popular Movement, 2 is for parties linked to the Socialist Party's Presidential majority.