List of political parties in France
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This article contains a list of political parties in France.
France has a multi-party political system: 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 characterised by a noticeable degree of intra-party factionalism, making each of them effectively a coalition in itself.
Up until recently, the government of France had alternated between two rather stable coalitions:
- on the centre-left, one led by the Socialist Party and with minor partners such as The Greens 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 of Democrats and Independents.
This was the case until the 2017 presidential election, when Emmanuel Macron of the centrist La République En Marche! defeated Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally in the second round. This was the first time in which a third party had won the presidency, as well as the first time that neither of the major coalitions had appeared in the second round of a presidential election. This was followed shortly by a significant victory for LREM in the 2017 legislative election, winning a majority of 350 seats. Both the traditional coalitions suffered major defeats.
In the 2022 presidential election, the same scenario repeated, with Emmanuel Macron being again victorious. Both traditional parties (Socialist Party and The Republicans) scored less than 5% each, with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France Insoumise emerging as the dominant left-wing party, ranking third in the first round.
The National Rally (previously known as the National Front before a name change in 2018) has also experienced significant successes in other elections. Since 2014, the party has established itself as a major party in France, finishing in first place in the 2014 and 2019 European elections as well as in the 2015 local elections,[1] though the party failed to win government in any regions due to the last-ditch alliance between the centre-left and the centre-right coalitions in Hauts-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.[2]
Elected parties
Major nationwide represented parties
| Party | Abbr. | National coalition |
European affiliation |
Leader | Position | Ideology | MPs | Senators | MEPs | Regional councils |
Departmental councils | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Rally Rassemblement national |
RN | GRN | P.eu/ |
Jordan Bardella | Far-right | 118 / 577
|
3 / 348
|
29 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Renaissance | RE | Ensemble | ALDE/ |
Gabriel Attal | Centre[3] to centre-right[10] |
Liberalism | 87 / 577
|
14 / 348
|
5 / 81
|
1 / 18
|
2 / 98
| ||
| France Unbowed La France insoumise |
LFI | NFP | ELA/ |
Manuel Bompard | Left-wing | 71 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
9 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Socialist Party Parti socialiste |
PS | NFP | PES/S&D | Olivier Faure | Centre-left to left-wing |
65 / 577
|
63 / 348
|
10 / 81
|
5 / 18
|
27 / 98
| |||
| The Republicans Les Républicains |
LR | UDC, LR | EPP/EPP group | Bruno Retailleau | Centre-right to right-wing |
52 / 577
|
121 / 348
|
5 / 81
|
3 / 18
|
39 / 98
| |||
| Democratic Movement Mouvement démocrate |
MoDem | Ensemble | EDP/ |
François Bayrou | Centre to centre-right |
Christian democracy | 36 / 577
|
4 / 348
|
2 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
1 / 98
| ||
| The Ecologists Les Écologistes |
LÉ | NFP | EGP/ |
Marine Tondelier | Centre-left to left-wing |
Green politics | 28 / 577
|
12 / 348
|
5 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Horizons | HOR | Ensemble | Renew | Édouard Philippe | Centre-right | Liberal conservatism | 34 / 577
|
11 / 348
|
2 / 81
|
1 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
Other nationwide represented parties
| Party | Abbr. | National coalition |
Leader or chair | Political position |
Ideology | MPs | Senators | MEPs | Regional councils |
Departmental councils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left Party Parti de gauche |
PG | NFP | Left-wing to far-left |
20 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
2 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Union of the Right for the Republic Union des droites pour la République |
UDR | UDR | Éric Ciotti | Far-right | 17 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
1 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| French Communist Party Parti communiste français |
PCF | GDR, NFP | Fabien Roussel | Left-wing | 8 / 577
|
14 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Democrats and Progressives Démocrates et progressistes |
DP | Ensemble | Olivier Dussopt | Centre[11] to centre-left[12][13] |
8 / 577
|
1 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Union of Democrats and Independents Union des démocrates et indépendants |
UDI | UDC | Jean-Christophe Lagarde | Centre to centre-right |
Liberalism | 7 / 577
|
36 / 348
|
1 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
8 / 98
| |
| Génération.s | G.s | NFP | Benoît Hamon | Centre-left to left-wing |
6 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Act Agir |
Ensemble | Franck Riester | Centre-right to right-wing |
5 / 577
|
6 / 348
|
1 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Utiles | LIOT | Bertrand Pancher | Centre | 5 / 577
|
2 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| French Future L'Avenir français |
LAF | RN | Jean-Philippe Tanguy | Right-wing to far-right |
5 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
1 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Let's Be Free Soyons libres |
SL | LR, UDC | Valérie Pécresse | Centre-right | 4 / 577
|
6 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
1 / 18
|
1 / 98
| ||
| The Aftermath L'Après |
NFP | Left-wing | 4 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||||
| Identity–Liberties Identité–Libertés |
IDL | RN | Laurence Trochu | Far-right | 3 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
4 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Dare France Oser la France |
OLF | LR | Julien Aubert | Gaullism | 3 / 577
|
4 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Public Square Place publique |
PP | NFP | Raphaël Glucksmann | Centre-left | 2 / 577
|
2 / 348
|
3 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| The Centrists Les Centristes |
LC | LT, UDC | Hervé Morin | Centre to centre-right |
2 / 577
|
5 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
1 / 18
|
2 / 98
| ||
| We France Nous France |
NF | DR | Xavier Bertrand | Right-wing | 2 / 577
|
4 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Ecosocialist Left Gauche écosocialiste |
GES | LFI, NFP | Left-wing | 2 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| The Builders Les bâtisseurs |
LB | Aurélien Pradié | Centre-right | 2 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| New Energy Nouvelle Énergie |
NE | DR | David Lisnard | Right-wing | 1 / 577
|
6 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Radical Party Parti radical |
RAD | Ensemble, LT | Laurent Hénart, Sylvia Pinel |
Centre | 1 / 577
|
5 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Centrist Alliance Alliance centriste |
AC | LaREM | Philippe Folliot | Centre | 1 / 577
|
4 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| The Convention La Convention |
LC | Bernard Cazeneuve | Left-wing | 1 / 577
|
2 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
2 / 98
| |||
| Territories44 | T44 | EcoS | Jean-Claude Raux | Left-wing | Green politics | 1 / 577
|
1 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |
| New Anticapitalist Party Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste |
NPA | NFP | Christine Poupin | Far-left | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| In Common En commun |
EC | LC | Cécile Rilhac | Centre-left | Green politics | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |
| Ecology Generation Génération écologie |
GE | NFP | Delphine Batho | Centre | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Ecological Revolution for the Living Révolution écologique pour le vivant |
REV | NFP | Aymeric Caron | Left-wing | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Independent Workers' Party Parti ouvrier indépendant |
POI | LFI, NFP | Left-wing | Marxism | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Republican and Socialist Left Gauche républicaine et socialiste |
GRS | LFI, FGR | Emmanuel Maurel, Marie-Noëlle Lienemann |
Left-wing | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| For a Popular and Social Ecology Pour une écologie populaire et sociale |
PEPS | LFI | Left-wing | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Stand Up! Debout! |
D! | LFI, NFP | François Ruffin | Left-wing | Eco-socialism | 1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |
| The Builders Les bâtisseurs |
LB | Aurélien Pradié | Centre-right | 2 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Radical Party of the Left Parti radical de gauche |
PRG | Guillaume Lacroix | Centre-left | 0 / 577
|
4 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
2 / 98
| |||
| Democratic European Force Force européenne démocrate |
FED | UDI, UDC | Jean-Christophe Lagarde | Centre-right | 0 / 577
|
2 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
1 / 98
| ||
| France Arise Debout la France |
DLF | Nicolas Dupont-Aignan | Right-wing to far-right |
1 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
0 / 74
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
| Audacious France La France audacieuse |
LFA | LR | Christian Estrosi | Centre-right | 0 / 577
|
1 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| The Commitment L'engagement |
LE | FGR | Arnaud Montebourg | Left-wing | 0 / 577
|
1 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| The Force of 13 La Force du 13 |
LFD13 | Jean-Noël Guérini | Left-wing | Social democracy | 0 / 577
|
1 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Together in our Territories Ensemble sur nos territoires |
ESNT | T44 | Ronan Dantec | Left-wing | 0 / 577
|
1 / 348
|
0 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| ||
| Reconquest Reconquête |
R! | Éric Zemmour | Far-right | 0 / 577
|
0 / 348
|
1 / 81
|
0 / 18
|
0 / 98
| |||
Regional parties with national representation
Region-only parties
Represented in Metropolitan France
Represented in Corsica
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Corsican Assembly councillors | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rinnovu | Paul-Félix Benedetti | 6 / 63
|
Corsican nationalism Corsican independence Socialism Humanism | ||
| CL: Corsica Libera | Jean-Guy Talamoni | 1 / 63
|
Corsican independence Separatism Left-wing nationalism | ||
Represented in Guadeloupe
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Regional Council of Guadeloupe | Departmental Council of Guadeloupe | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRAPP: Abymian Gathering Force for Progress | Éric Jalton | 0 / 41
|
4 / 42
|
Localism Left-wing politics | ||
Represented in French Guiana
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Assembly of French Guiana | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Péyi G: Péyi Guyane | New Popular Front | Gabriel Serville | 7 / 55
|
Guianese regionalism Progressivism Environmentalism | |
| AGEG: On the left in French Guiana | Albéric Benth | 1 / 55
|
Guianese Autonomism | ||
| PSG: Guianese Socialist Party | Patrice Catayée | 1 / 55
|
Democratic socialism Social democracy Guianese Autonomism | ||
Represented in Martinique
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Assembly of Martinique | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIM: Martinican Independence Movement | New Popular Front | Alfred Marie-Jeanne | 5 / 51
|
Martinican nationalism Decolonization | |
| BPM: Build the Martinique Country | David Zobda | 3 / 51
|
Post-Marxism Autonomism | ||
| MPF: Franciscan Popular Movement | Maurice Antiste | 2 / 51
|
Autonomism | ||
| VAS: Living in Schœlcher | Félix Catherine | 2 / 51
|
Localism | ||
| PALIMA: Party for the Liberation of Martinique | Francis Carole | 1 / 51
|
Separatism | ||
| RDM: Martinican Democratic Rally | Claude Lise | 1 / 51
|
Martinican autonomism Social democracy | ||
| MÉ: Martinique écologie | Louis Boutrin | 1 / 51
|
Environmentalism | ||
| RFL: Gathering of the forces of Lorrine | 1 / 51
|
Localism | |||
Represented in Mayotte
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Departmental Council of Mayotte | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDM: Movement for the Development of Mayotte | Daniel Zaïdani | 7 / 51
|
anti-Separatism Départementalism | ||
| MRGS: Movement for the renewal of the Great South | Salime Mdéré | 2 / 51
|
Centrism | ||
Represented in New Caledonia
Represented in French Polynesia
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Assembly of French Polynesia | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ʻĀmuitahiraʻa o te Nūnaʻa Māʻohi | UDI | Bruno Sandras | 1 / 54
|
Conservatism French Polynesian autonomy | |
Represented in Reunion
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Regional Council of Réunion | Departmental Council of Réunion | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCR: Communist Party of Réunion | New Popular Front | Élie Hoarau | 3 / 45
|
4 / 50
|
Communism Post-Marxism Regionalism | |
| Banian | Patrice Selly | 2 / 45
|
2 / 50
|
Localism | ||
| OF: Objectif Réunion | Didier Robert | 2 / 45
|
0 / 50
|
Right-wing politics | ||
| ER: Endemik Réunion | Collective Leadership | 1 / 45
|
0 / 50
|
Localism Direct democracy | ||
| FRA: France Réunion Avenir | Jacquet Hoarau | 1 / 45
|
0 / 50
|
Right-wing politics | ||
| APR: Action populaire de La Réunion | Claude Hoarau | 1 / 45
|
0 / 50
|
Left-wing politics | ||
| MPTU: Trait d'union Political Movement | Renaissance | Michel Vergoz | 1 / 45
|
0 / 50
|
Centrism | |
| CREA: Citizens of Reunion Island in Action | Vanessa Miranville | 0 / 45
|
2 / 50
|
Localism Environmentalism | ||
Represented in Saint Martin
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Territorial Council of Saint-Martin | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UD: Union for Democracy | Daniel Gibbs | 5 / 23
|
Right-wing politics | ||
| GH: Generation Hope | Jules Charville | 2 / 23
|
Centrism Participatory democracy | ||
Represented in Saint Barthélemy
| Acronym and Name | National coalition | Leader or Chairman | Territorial Council of Saint Barthélemy | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPSB: All United for Saint Barthélemy | Xavier Lédée | 13 / 19
|
Centre-right politics | ||
| SBA: St. Barths First | The Republicans | Romaric Magras | 6 / 19
|
Liberal conservatism | |
Non-elected parties
Historical parties
French Revolution
- Jacobin Club (Centre-left to left-wing)
- Girondist (Centre-left)*For the time
- Maraisards (Syncretic)
- Montagnards (Radicalism)
- Thermidorians (Centre)
- Cordeliers Club (Left-wing to far-left)
- Feuillants Club
- Enragés (Far-left)
- Monarchiens (Centre to centre-right)
- Club de Clichy (Right-wing)
- Bonapartists (1815)
19th Century
20th Century
- Democratic Republican Alliance
- Socialist Party of France (1902)
- French Socialist Party (1902)
- French Section of the Workers' International
- French Socialist Party (1919)
- Popular Democratic Party
- Popular Republican Union of Gironde
- French Agrarian and Farmer Party
- Socialist Party of France – Jean Jaurès Union
- Radical-Socialist Party Camille Pelletan
- Republican, Social and Agrarian Party
- National Popular Rally
- Farmers' Party for Social Union
- Republican Party of Liberty
- Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
- Centre républicain
- Union of the Democratic Forces
- Unified Socialist Party
- European Liberal Party
- Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left
- Revolutionary Communist League
- Democratic Force (France)
- Rally for the Republic
- Liberal Democracy
21st Century
- Federation for a Social and Ecological Alternative
- Europe Ecology
- The Greens (France)
- Union for a Popular Movement
- Les Alternatifs
- Solidary Republic
- Unitary Left
- The New Democrats
Political parties in French overseas possessions
- 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 Barthélemy
- List of political parties in the Collectivity of Saint Martin
- List of political parties in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
- List of political parties in Wallis and Futuna
Historical parties
See also
Notes
References
- ^ "Elections régionales : le FN vainqueur du premier tour". Le Monde.fr. 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Régionales : le PS se retire en PACA et dans le Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie". 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Will Macron's Centrism Defeat France's Growing Right Wing?". The New Yorker. 14 April 2022.
- ^ Khatsenkova, Sophia (6 June 2024). "EU elections: Everything you need to know about what's at stake in France". Euronews. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Brunet, Romain (6 May 2024). "European elections: Ahead of vote, the French badly need to start doing their homework". France24. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Yeung, Peter (2 July 2024). "'Macron has failed on housing and health': Why French youth swung to far right". i. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Farge, Elodie (11 June 2024). "EU elections: French in North Africa opt for the left and its pro-Palestine stance". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Ioanes, Ellen (8 July 2024). "France's elections showed a polarized country". Vox. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "French pension reform strikes slow before March showdown". Le Monde. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ [4][5][6][7][8][9]
- ^ "France".
- ^ "Territories of Progress, a pro-Macron center-left party" (in French).
- ^ "Emmanuel Macron tente de renouer avec la deuxième gauche". Le Monde.fr. 27 February 2020.