List of political parties in France
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France has a multi-party political system, that is to say one in which the number of competing political parties is sufficiently large as to make it almost inevitable that in order to participate in the exercise of power any single party must be prepared to negotiate with one or more others with a view to forming electoral alliances and/or coalition agreements.
The dominant French political parties are also characterized by a noticeable degree of intra-party factionalism, making each of them effectively a coalition in itself.
Since the 1980s, the government of France has alternated between two rather stable coalitions:
- on the centre-left, one led by the Socialist Party and with minor partners such as Europe Ecology – The Greens, the Left Party, and the Radical Party of the Left.
- on the centre-right, one led by The Republicans (and previously its predecessors, the Union for a Popular Movement, Rally for the Republic ) and the Union for French Democracy, with support from the New Centre.
It is difficult for parties outside these two major coalitions to make significant inroads, although the National Front has had sizable successes.
Contents
Nationwide political parties and leaders[edit]
Major nationwide represented parties[edit]
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Position toward the Cabinet | People's Representatives | Political Position & ideology | European Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS: Socialist Party (Parti socialiste) | None | Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, Interim First Secretary | Leading the majority government. Manuel Valls, Prime Minister Ministers: 15 / 17
Secretaries of State: 12 / 14
|
Head of State:
1 / 1
MEP:
12 / 74
senators:
112 / 348
national deputies:
279 / 577
Heads of Regions:
20 / 27
Heads of Departments:
49 / 101
Heads of Metropolis
7 / 12
Heads of Urban communities
5 / 8
|
Centre-left party divided in motions: Mobilise the French People for a Successful Change: Social democracy, social liberalism, pro-Europeanism; Now the Left: Democratic socialism, social democracy, Pro-Europeanism. |
Party of European Socialists MEP: 12 / 754
|
| LR: The Republicans (Les Républicains) | None | Nicolas Sarkozy, President | Leading the parliamentary opposition Gilles Carrez, president of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly Gerard Larcher, President of Senate |
Head of State:
0 / 1
MEP:
19 / 74
senators:
143 / 348
national deputies:
187 / 577
Heads of Regions:
3 / 27
Heads of Departments:
25 / 101
Heads of Metropolis
3 / 12
Heads of Urban communities
2 / 8
|
Right-wing party divided in motions: The Strong Right: Sarkozysm, Liberal conservatism, social conservatism, Christian democracy; The Social Right: Social liberalism, Gaullism, Pro-Europeanism; Modern and Humanist France: Economic liberalism, Christian democracy, Pro-Europeanism; Gaullism, a way forward for France: Gaullism, Souverainism, Christian democracy; The Popular Right: Souverainism, protectionism, Euroscepticism, economic liberalism, social conservatism, liberal conservatism. |
European People's Party MEP: 19 / 754
|
Others nationwide represented parties[edit]
| Name | Acronym | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Remarks | Parliamentaries | Political Position | European Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France Arise (Debout la France, formerly Debout la République) |
DLF (DLR) |
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, president | Centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 1 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Euroscepticism, Social-Gaullism, republicanism, economic interventionism, | EUDemocrats | |
| Centrist Alliance (Alliance centriste) | Alli | Union of Democrats and Independents | Jean Arthuis, president | Centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 10 / 348
national deputies: 2 / 577
|
Christian democracy, liberalism | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Parti chrétien-démocrate) | PCD | Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority | Christine Boutin, president | Centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 0 / 348
national deputies: 2 / 577
|
Christian democracy, social conservatism | |
| Citizen and Republican Movement (Mouvement républicain et citoyen) | MRC | Jean-Luc Laurent, president; Jean-Pierre Chevènement, honorary president |
left-wing parliamentary majority | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 1 / 348
national deputies: 3 / 577
|
democratic socialism, républicanisme, souverainism, patriotism | ||
| Citizenship, Action, Participation for the 21st Century (Citoyenneté, action, participation pour le xxie siècle) | CAP21 | Corinne Lepage, president | centrist green parliamentary opposition | MEP:
1 / 74
senators: 0 / 348
national deputies: 0 / 577
|
Green liberalism, Participatory democracy, Centrism | ||
| Democratic Convention (Convention démocrate) | CD | Republican, Ecologist and Social Alliance | Hervé de Charette, Claude Goasguen & Alain Lamassoure, general secretaries |
centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
1 / 74
senators: 0 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Liberalism, Centrism | |
| Democratic Movement (Mouvement démocrate) | MoDem | François Bayrou, president | centrist parliamentary opposition | MEP:
5 / 74
senators: 7 / 348
national deputies: 2 / 577
|
Centrism, social liberalism, liberalism | European Democratic Party MEP:
9 / 736
|
|
| Europe Ecology – The Greens (Europe Écologie Les Verts) | EELV | Emmanuelle Cosse, national secretary | Centre-left government member ministers:
2 / 39
|
MEP:
14 / 74
senators: 10 / 348
national deputies: 17 / 577
|
Green politics, alter-mondialism, regionalism | European Green Party MEP:
47 / 754
|
|
| Federation for a social and ecologist alternative (Fédération pour une alternative sociale et écologique) | FASE | Left Front | collegiality | left-wing parliamentary critical majority | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 0 / 348
national deputies: 2 / 577
|
altermondialism, communism, eco-socialism | |
| French Communist Party (Parti communiste français) | PCF | Left Front | Pierre Laurent, national secretary | left-wing parliamentary critical majority | MEP:
2 / 74
senators: 19 / 348
national deputies: 7 / 577
|
Marxism, environmentalism, feminism, alter-europeanism | Party of the European Left MEP:
22 / 754
|
| Left Party (Parti de gauche) | PG | Left Front | Jean-Luc Mélenchon & Martine Billard, co-presidents |
left-wing parliamentary critical majority | MEP:
1 / 74
senators: 3 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Democratic socialism, eco-socialism, républicanisme, alter-europeanism | Party of the European Left MEP:
22 / 754
|
| Modern Left (La Gauche moderne) | LGM | Union of Democrats and Independents | Jean-Marie Bockel, president | centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
2 / 74
senators: 2 / 348
national deputies: 0 / 577
|
liberal, social liberalism, Third Way | |
| Movement for France (Mouvement pour la France) | MPF | Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority | Philippe de Villiers, president | right-wing parliamentary opposition | MEP:
1 / 74
senators: 2 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Conservatism, strong law enforcement, anti-immigration, Euroscepticism | Libertas.eu MEP:
1 / 754
|
| National Center of Independents and Peasants (Centre national des indépendants et paysans) | CNI, CNIP | Union of Democrats and Independents | Gilles Bourdouleix, president | centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 1 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Conservatism | |
| National Front (Front national) | FN | Marine Le Pen,president | right-wing parliamentary opposition | MEP:
23 / 74
senators: 2 / 348
national deputies: 2 / 577
|
Euroscepticism, big tent, right-wing populism | Movement for a Europe of Nations and Freedom MEP:
23 / 754
|
|
| New Centre (Nouveau Centre) | PSLE or NC | Union of Democrats and Independents | Hervé Morin, president | centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
3 / 74
senators: 12 / 348
national deputies: 12 / 577
|
Liberalism, Christian democracy | |
| Progressive Unitary Movement (Mouvement unitaire progressiste) | MUP | Robert Hue | centre-left parliamentary majority | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 1 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Democratic socialism, social democracy | ||
| Radical Party of the Left (Parti radical de gauche) | PRG | Radical and ecologist pole | Jean-Michel Baylet, president | centre-left government member ministers:
3 / 39
|
MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 12 / 348
national deputies: 12 / 577
|
Social liberalism, radicalism, euro-federalism | |
| Radical Party (Parti radical) | Rad | Union of Democrats and Independents | Jean-Louis Borloo, president & spokesman | centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
3 / 74
senators: 6 / 348
national deputies: 12 / 577
|
Liberalism, Republicanism | |
| Territories in Movement (Territoires en mouvement) | TeM | Union of Democrats and Independents | Jean-Christophe Fromantin | centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 0 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Liberalism | |
| United Republic (République solidaire) | RS | Jean-Pierre Grand, president | centre-right parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 1 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Gaullism, Centrism, Liberal conservatism | ||
| New Deal (Political party of France) (Nouvelle Donne) | ND | Pierre Larrouturrou, co-president; Isabelle Attard, co-president |
Left parliamentary opposition | MEP:
0 / 74
senators: 0 / 348
national deputies: 1 / 577
|
Progressivism, political ecology, humanism, democratic socialism, economic interventionism, participative democracy |
Locally represented parties[edit]
| Name | Acronym | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Remarks | Territorial councillors | Political Position | European Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt, Fish, Nature, Traditions (Chasse, pêche, nature et traditions) | CPNT | Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority | Frédéric Nihous, president | right-wing government allied | regional:
6 / 1,880
|
traditional rural values; refusal of environmental legislation and regulations restricting the right to hunt and fish, conservative, Eurosceptic | Libertas.eu |
| Independent Ecological Movement (Mouvement écologiste indépendant) | MEI | Antoine Waechter, president | close with EELV | regional:
3 / 1,880
|
Green politics, Centrism, anti-nuclear | ||
| New Anticapitalist Party (Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste) | NPA | Christine Poupin, spokeswoman | far left protester | regional:
2 / 1,880
|
internationalism, eco-socialism, feminism | European Anticapitalist Left | |
| Unitarian Left (Gauche unitaire) | GU | the Left Front | Christian Picquet, spokesman | left protester | regional:
7 / 1,880
|
anti-capitalism, democratic socialism, internationalism | Party of the European Left |
Minor parties[edit]
| Name | Acronym | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Remarks | People's Representatives | Political Position | European Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France awakens (Le Réveil de la France) | LRF | Nicolas Taupin, Sébastien Taupin | independent party | cartesianism, rationalism, pragmatism, Enlightenment Age | |||
| French Action (Action Française) | AF | Stéphane Blanchonnet | far right protester | Nationalism, Monarchism, Conservatism, Euroscepticism | |||
| Royal Alliance (Alliance Royale) | AR | Pierre Bernard | right protester | Monarchism, Conservatism, Euroscepticism | |||
| Ecology Generation (Génération Écologie) | GE | Yves Piétrasanta | Close with Radical Party of the Left | Green politics, Green conservatism, Centre-right | |||
| Workers' Struggle (Lutte Ouvrière) | LO | Nathalie Arthaud, spokeswoman | far left protester | trotskyism, internationalism, feminism | |||
| New Royalist Action (Nouvelle Action royaliste) | NAR | Bertrand Renouvin | left wing government allied | Monarchism, Conservatism, Euroscepticism, gaulism | |||
| Workers' Communist Party of France (Parti Communiste des Ouvriers de France) | PCOF | the Left Front | left wing government allied | Marxist, Leninist, communism, collectivism | |||
| Liberal Democratic Party (Parti libéral démocrate) | PLD | Aurélien Véron | close with MoDem | Classical liberalism | |||
| Independent Workers' Party (Parti ouvrier indépendant) | POI | Daniel Gluckstein, Claude Jenet, Jean Markun, Gérard Schivardi | far-left protester | Internationalism, Marxism, Trotskism, Socialism, Communism, Anarcho-syndicalism, Euroscepticism | |||
| Pirate Party (Parti Pirate) | PP | Maxime Rouquet, Guillaume Lecoquierre | neither right nor left protester | intellectual property reform, protection of privacy and individual liberty | |||
| Democratic Rally (Rassemblement démocrate) | RD | Philippe Cartellier | center-left protester | Monarchism, Conservatism, gaulism | |||
| Pole of Communist Rebirth in France (Pôle de Renaissance Communiste en France) | PRCF | Léon Landini | far-left protester | Marxism, leninism, Communism, Anticapitalism, Nationalism | |||
| Marxist–Leninist Communist Organization – Proletarian Way (Organisation Communiste Marxiste-Léniniste Voie Prolétarienne) | OCML-VP | Collective | far-left protester | Marxism, leninism, maoism, Communism | |||
| Popular Republican Union (Union Populaire Républicaine) | UPR | François Asselineau | neither right nor left protester | euroscepticism |
Major regionalist parties[edit]
(with past or present representation in at least a regional council)
- Abertzaleen Batasuna (Basque Country, nationalist separatist): largest Basque nationalist party of the Northern Basque Country
- Alsace d'abord (Alsace, far-right regionalist): had 3 seats in the Alsace Regional Council in 1998
- Ligue savoisienne (Savoie, liberal separatist): had 1 seat in the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council in 1998
- Breton Democratic Union (Brittany, ecologist and left-wing autonomist): 4 seats in the Regional Council of Brittany since 2004.
- Party of the Corsican Nation (Corsica, nationalist autonomist): 11 seats in the Corsican Assembly and 1 in the European Parliament.
- Corsica Libera (Corsica, nationalist separatist): 4 seats in the Corsican Assembly.
French Revolution[edit]
Historical parties[edit]
Political parties in French overseas possessions[edit]
Note: Many of the parties in French oversea possessions have strong ties to counterparts in Metropolitan France.
Overseas departmental parties represented in the National Assembly[edit]
- United Guadeloupe, Socialism and Realities (Guadeloupe: Guadeloupe unie, socialisme et réalités)
- Martinican Progressive Party (Martinique: Parti Progressiste Martiniquais)
- Martinican Independence Movement (Martinique: Mouvement Indépendantiste Martiniquais)
- Walwari (French Guiana: Walwari)
- Guianese Socialist Party (French Guiana: Parti socialiste guyanais, or PSG)
- Communist Party of Réunion (Réunion: Parti communiste réunionnais, or PCR)
- Tahoera'a Huiraatira (French Polynesia, local UMP)
- Mahoré Departementalist Movement (Mayotte, Mouvement départementaliste mahorais, or MDM)
Lists[edit]
- List of political parties in French Guiana
- List of political parties in French Polynesia
- List of political parties in Guadeloupe
- List of political parties in Martinique
- List of political parties in Mayotte
- List of political parties in New Caledonia
- List of political parties in Reunion
- List of political parties in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
- List of political parties in Wallis and Futuna
See also[edit]
References[edit]
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