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Liberal Democracy (France)
Encyclopedia
Liberal Democracy was a French
political party
that advocated conservative liberalism
and liberal conservatism
, headed by Alain Madelin
. The party replaced in 1997 the Republican Party
, which was the classical liberal component of the Union for French Democracy
(UDF).
It became independent in 1998, after a split from the UDF. The cause of this departure was the election of four UDF president of regional councils with the votes of the National Front elects, which the Liberals refused to condemn. Those who refused to break ranks with UDF launched the Republican Independent and Liberal Pole, which later merged with Democratic Force
and the so-called "Direct Adherents", in the New UDF.
In the 1999 EU elections
DL ran with the RPR
list led by Nicolas Sarkozy
. However, the pro-European tone of the RPR-DL campaign deceived and the list was placed in third, behind the eurosceptic RPF list led by Charles Pasqua
and Philippe de Villiers
. DL obtained 4 MEPs: Alain Madelin
, Françoise Grossetête
, Thierry Jean-Pierre and Hervé Novelli
.
In the 2002 presidential election
, Alain Madelin obtained only 3.91% of the votes. On September 21, 2002, DL merged with the RPR
and a majority of UDF members to form the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), which was renamed Union for a Popular Movement
(Union pour un mouvement populaire or UMP).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
that advocated conservative liberalism
Conservative liberalism
Conservative liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with conservative stances, or, more simply, representing the right-wing of the liberal movement....
and liberal conservatism
Liberal conservatism
Liberal conservatism also known as progressive conservatism is a variant of political conservatism which incorporates liberal elements. As "conservatism" and "liberalism" have had different meanings over time and across countries, the term "liberal conservatism" has been used in quite different...
, headed by Alain Madelin
Alain Madelin
Alain Madelin is a French politician and a former minister of that country.Madelin, a strong supporter of laissez-faire economics, was a candidate in the 2002 French presidential election as the leader of the Démocratie Libérale party, where he scored 3.91% on the first round...
. The party replaced in 1997 the Republican Party
Republican Party (France)
The Republican Party was a French right-wing political party founded in 1977. It replaced the National Federation of the Independent Republicans that was founded in 1966. It was created by former President of France Valéry Giscard d'Estaing...
, which was the classical liberal component of the Union for French Democracy
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
(UDF).
It became independent in 1998, after a split from the UDF. The cause of this departure was the election of four UDF president of regional councils with the votes of the National Front elects, which the Liberals refused to condemn. Those who refused to break ranks with UDF launched the Republican Independent and Liberal Pole, which later merged with Democratic Force
Democratic Force (France)
Democratic Force was a French centrist political party founded in 1995 by the merger between the centrist components of the Union for French Democracy : the Christian-democratic Centre of Social Democrats and the Social Democratic Party.It disappeared in 1998, when the UDF confederation became a...
and the so-called "Direct Adherents", in the New UDF.
In the 1999 EU elections
European Parliament election, 1999 (France)
On 13 June 1999 the fifth direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Once again, abstention was very high for this type of election- only 47% of eligible voters voted...
DL ran with the RPR
Rally for the Republic
The Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism...
list led by Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
. However, the pro-European tone of the RPR-DL campaign deceived and the list was placed in third, behind the eurosceptic RPF list led by Charles Pasqua
Charles Pasqua
Charles Pasqua is a French businessman and Gaullist politician. He was Interior Minister from 1986 to 1988, under Jacques Chirac's cohabitation government, and also from 1993 to 1995, under the government of Edouard Balladur...
and Philippe de Villiers
Philippe de Villiers
Viscount Philippe Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers, born on 25 March 1949, is a French politician. He was the Mouvement pour la France nominee for the French presidential election of 2007. He received 2.23% of the vote, putting him in sixth place. As only the top...
. DL obtained 4 MEPs: Alain Madelin
Alain Madelin
Alain Madelin is a French politician and a former minister of that country.Madelin, a strong supporter of laissez-faire economics, was a candidate in the 2002 French presidential election as the leader of the Démocratie Libérale party, where he scored 3.91% on the first round...
, Françoise Grossetête
Françoise Grossetête
Françoise Grossetête is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the South-East of France. She is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement; part of the European People's Party.-Member:...
, Thierry Jean-Pierre and Hervé Novelli
Hervé Novelli
Hervé Novelli is a French politician of Italian origin, and a past member of the UDF group. He was a deputé in the Assemblée Nationale for the Indre-et-Loire département from 2002 to 2007, having previously been a député from 1993-1997...
.
In the 2002 presidential election
French presidential election, 2002
The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002, and a runoff election between the top two candidates on 5 May 2002. This presidential contest attracted a greater than usual amount of international attention because of Le Pen's unexpected appearance in...
, Alain Madelin obtained only 3.91% of the votes. On September 21, 2002, DL merged with the RPR
Rally for the Republic
The Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism...
and a majority of UDF members to form the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), which was renamed Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
(Union pour un mouvement populaire or UMP).