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:

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[edit]

Major nationwide represented parties[edit]

Name Abbr. Leader Députés Senators MEPs Presidency of
regional councils
Presidency of
departmental councils
Position Ideology
Renaissance RE Stéphane Séjourné
155 / 577
13 / 348
11 / 74
1 / 18
2 / 98
Centre[3] to centre-right Liberalism, Pro-Europeanism
The Republicans LR Eric Ciotti
62 / 577
116 / 348
7 / 74
3 / 18
39 / 98
Centre-right to right-wing Liberal conservatism, Gaullism
National Rally RN Jordan Bardella
88 / 577
3 / 348
19 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Far-right Right-wing populism
Socialist Party PS Olivier Faure
27 / 577
63 / 348
2 / 74
5 / 18
27 / 98
Centre-left Social democracy
La France Insoumise FI Manuel Bompard
69 / 577
0 / 348
3 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing to far-left Left-wing populism

Other nationwide represented parties[edit]

Party Abbr. National
coalition
Leader or chair Députés Senators MEPs Presidency of
regional councils
Presidency of
departmental councils
Political
position
Ideology
Democratic Movement MoDem Ensemble François Bayrou
49 / 577
3 / 348
6 / 74
0 / 18
1 / 98
Centre to centre-right Liberalism, social liberalism, Christian democracy
Horizons Ensemble Édouard Philippe
28 / 577
13 / 348
2 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-right Liberal conservatism
Left Party PG NUPES Eric Coquerel,
Danielle Simonnet
20 / 577
0 / 348
2 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing Democratic socialism, left-wing populism, left-wing nationalism
The Ecologists NUPES Marine Tondelier
16 / 577
12 / 348
9 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-left to left-wing Green politics
French Communist Party PCF GDR, NUPES Fabien Roussel
12 / 577
14 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing to far-left Communism, soft Euroscepticism
Union of Democrats and Independents UDI UDC Jean-Christophe Lagarde
10 / 577
32 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
8 / 98
Centre to centre-right Centrism, social liberalism, pro-Europeanism, Christian democracy
Ecosocialist left GES FI group, NUPES
4 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing Socialism, eco-socialism, anti-globalisation
Radical Party RAD Ensemble, LT Laurent Hénart,
Sylvia Pinel
5 / 577
8 / 348
2 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre Liberalism, pro-Europeanism
Génération.s NUPES Benoît Hamon
4 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-left to left-wing Social democracy, democratic socialism
En Commun EC Ensemble Philippe Hardouin
4 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-left Green politics
The Centrists LC LT, UDC Hervé Morin
1 / 577
7 / 348
1 / 74
1 / 18
2 / 98
Centre to centre-right Centrism, conservative liberalism, Christian democracy
Soyons libres SL LR, UDC Valérie Pécresse
2 / 577
6 / 348
0 / 74
1 / 18
1 / 98
Centre-right Liberal conservatism, Gaullism, economic liberalism, pro-Europeanism
Ecology Generation GE NUPES Delphine Batho
1 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre Green politics, integral ecology, eco-feminism
Radical Party of the Left PRG Guillaume Lacroix [fr]
0 / 577
4 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
2 / 98
Centre-left Social liberalism, Pro-Europeanism
Ecological Revolution for the Living REV NUPES Aymeric Caron
1 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing Animal rights, Social democracy
Ecologist Party PE LREM François de Rugy
1 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-left Green politics, green liberalism, environmentalism, social-liberalism, European federalism
Debout la France DLF None Nicolas Dupont-Aignan
1 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Right-wing to far-right French nationalism, national conservatism, Gaullism, Republicanism, souverainism, social conservatism, Euroscepticism
Independent Workers' Party POI FI group, NUPES
1 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing

Marxism

Reconquête R! None Éric Zemmour
1 / 577
1 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Far-right National conservatism, Anti-immigration, Gaullism, Soft Euroscepticism
Democratic European Force FED UDI, UDC Jean-Christophe Lagarde
0 / 577
2 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-right Centrism, social liberalism, pro-Europeanism, Christian democracy
Centrist Alliance AC LaREM Philippe Folliot
2 / 577
4 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre Centrism, liberalism
La Force du 13 LFD13 None Jean-Noël Guérini
0 / 577
1 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing Social democracy
Modern Left LGM UDI Jean-Marie Bockel
0 / 577
1 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre Social liberalism
Democracy and republic
0 / 577
1 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Republican and Socialist Left GRS FI group, FGR Emmanuel Maurel,
Marie-Noëlle Lienemann
0 / 577
0 / 348
1 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing Socialism, Euroscepticism, economic interventionism, statism
Place Publique PP NUPES Raphaël Glucksmann
0 / 577
0 / 348
2 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-left Social democracy, Pro-Europeanism
Cap Ecology Cap écologie LREM Corinne Lepage
0 / 577
0 / 348
1 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre to centre-left Environmentalism, Green liberalism, Green politics
New Deal ND NUPES Arnaud Lelache & Aline Mouquet
0 / 577
0 / 348
1 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-left to left-wing Progressivism, Keynesianism, European federalism
French Future LAF National Rally group Jean-Philippe Tanguy
5 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Right-wing to far-right Gaullism
National conservatism
Souverainism
Euroscepticism
Progressive Federation FP Renaissance group François Rebsamen
2 / 577
0 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Left-wing Social democracy
Progressivism
Pro-Europeanism
La France Audacieuse LFA Senate Republicans Christian Estrosi
0 / 577
2 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Centre-right Gaullism Liberal conservatism Christian democracy Pro-Europeanism
Dare France OLF Senate Republicans Julien Aubert
5 / 577
4 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
0 / 98
Gaullism
The Convention LC Bernard Cazeneuve
3 / 577
2 / 348
0 / 74
0 / 18
2 / 98
Left-wing Socialism

Regional parties with national representation[edit]

Territory Party Abbr. National
coalition
Leader or chair Députés Senators MEPs Presidency of
regional councils
Presidency of
departmental councils
Political
position
Ideology
 Corsica Femu a Corsica Femu LT Gilles Simeoni
2 / 4
1 / 2
1 / 79
1 / 1
Centre Corsican nationalism, Corsican autonomism
 New Caledonia Caledonia Together CE UDI Philippe Gomès
1 / 2
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-right Anti-separatism, progressivism, protectionism, environmentalism, Christian democracy
 French Polynesia Tapura Huiraatira TH Ensemble Édouard Fritch
0 / 3
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-right Liberalism, autonomism, anti-independence
 Guadeloupe United Guadeloupe, Solidary and Responsible GUSR LREM Guy Losbar
0 / 4
2 / 3
0 / 79
1 / 1
Centre-left Social democracy, social liberalism, autonomism
 French Guiana Guiana Rally GR LREM Rodolphe Alexandre
0 / 2
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre
 Réunion For Réunion PLR GDR, NUPES Huguette Bello
2 / 7
1 / 348
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Post-Marxism, social democracy, regionalism
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon Cap sur l'avenir [fr] LREM Annick Girardin
0 / 1
1 / 1
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-left Classical radicalism
 French Polynesia Tavini Huiraatira TH GDR Oscar Temaru
3 / 3
0 / 2
0 / 79
1 / 1
Left-wing French Polynesian independence, social democracy, democratic socialism, progressivism
 Corsica Party of the Corsican Nation PNC LT Jean-Christophe Angelini
1 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Corsican nationalism, left-wing nationalism, social democracy
 Martinique Péyi-A GDR Jean-Philippe Nilor, Marcelin Nadeau
2 / 4
0 / 348
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Post-Marxism, separatism
 Réunion Rézistans Equality 974 RÉ974 FI group, NUPES Jean-Hugues Ratenon
2 / 7
0 / 348
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Social democracy, regionalism
 Picardy[a] Picardie debout FI group, NUPES François Ruffin
1 / 10
0 / 348
0 / 79
0 / 1
0 / 3
Far-left Anti-capitalism, protectionism, left-wing souverainism, left-wing populism, participatory democracy, eco-socialism
 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur League of the South LS RN group Jacques Bompard
1 / 20
0 / 348
0 / 79
0 / 1
0 / 5
Far-right National conservatism, souverainism, identitarian, anti-globalization, regionalism, patriotism, localism, Poujadism, liberal conservatism
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon Archipelago Tomorrow AD RDSE Gérard Grignon
1 / 1
0 / 1
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-right Christian democracy, Social conservatism
 Corsica Bonapartist Central Committee CCB Horizons group André Villanova
1 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-right Ajaccio localism, Corsican regionalism, Bonapartism, Conservatism, Constitutional monarchism
 Guadeloupe Progressive Democratic Party of Guadeloupe PPDG NUPES Jacques Bangou
1 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-left to left-wing Democratic socialism, Post-Marxism, Guadeloupean autonomy
 New Caledonia Générations NC GNC Renaissance group Nicolas Metzdorf
1 / 2
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre to centre-right Anti-separatism, Autonomism, Conservative liberalism, Centralism, Ecologism
 Martinique Martinican Progressive Party PPM NUPES Serge Letchimy
1 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Progressivism, Democratic socialism, Autonomism
 Martinique Eko Zabym EK LIOT Olivier Serva
1 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
localism
 French Guiana Decolonization and Social Emancipation Movement MDES NUPES Fabien Canavy
1 / 2
0 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Far-left Guianese nationalism, Anti-colonialism,Marxism
 Réunion Le Progrès LP NUPES
1 / 7
0 / 4
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Social democracy
 Réunion For Réunion PLA NUPES Huguette Bello
2 / 7
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing Post-Marxism, Democratic socialism
 Saint Martin Saint-Martinois Rally RSM NUPES Huguette Bello
1 / 1
1 / 2
0 / 79
1 / 1
Left-wing Autonomism
 New Caledonia The Rally The Republicans Thierry Santa
0 / 2
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Right-wing Anti-separatism, Gaullism, Conservatism, Liberal conservatism, Christian democracy
France French diaspora Solidarity alliance of French people abroad [fr] ASFE The Republicans Évelyne Renaud-Garabedian [fr]
0 / 11
2 / 6
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-right to Right-wing
 French Guiana New Force of Guyana [fr] NFG RDPI Marie-Laure Phinéra-Horth
0 / 2
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Left-wing
 New Caledonia Caledonian Union UC CRCE-Kanaky, Ensemble Citoyens Daniel Goa
0 / 2
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre-left Separatism, Melanesian socialism, Christian left
 French Polynesia Ia Ora te Nuna'a RDPI, Ensemble Citoyens Teva Rohfritsch
0 / 3
1 / 2
0 / 79
0 / 1
Centre to Centre-right French Polynesian autonomy
Anti-independence
 Guadeloupe Guadeloupean Federation of the Socialist Party [fr] FGPS NUPES Olivier Nicolas
1 / 4
1 / 3
0 / 79
0 / 1
0 / 1
Centre-Left Democratic socialism, Progressivism, Social democracy, Social-ecology, Pro-Europeanism
 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes The Localists [fr] LL National Rally Hervé Juvin
0 / 577
0 / 348
1 / 79
0 / 1
Right-wing Identitarian movement
 Brittany Breton Democratic Union UBD Lydie Massard & Pierre-Emmanuel Marais
0 / 577
0 / 348
1 / 79
0 / 1
0 / 4
Left-wing Autonomism, Environmentalism, Pro-Europeanism

Region-only parties[edit]

Acronym and Name National coalition Leader or Chairman Territorial councillors Ideology
LMR: Rurality Movement None Eddie Puyjalon Regional:
4 / 1,880
Traditional rural values; refusal of environmental legislation and regulations restricting the right to hunt and fish, conservative, Eurosceptic
MEI: Independent Ecological Movement None Antoine Waechter Regional:
3 / 1,880
Green politics, Centrism, anti-nuclear
CNIP: National Centre of Independents and Peasants None Bruno North Regional:
4 / 1,880
French nationalism, Conservatism, Agrarianism, Euroscepticism
VIA: VIA, the Way of the People None Jean-Frédéric Poisson Regional:
2 / 1,880
Christian democracy,Social conservatism, Christian right, Soft Euroscepticism
PLB: Brittany Movement and Progress None André Lavanant Regional:
1 / 1,880
Breton nationalism, Regionalism, Socialism, Ecology
PA: Animalist Party None Antoine Stathoulias, Douchka Markovic, Hélène Thouy, Pierre Mazaheri Regional:
1 / 1,880
Animal welfare, Animal rights
BE: Brittany Ecology None None Regional:
1 / 1,880
Progressivism, Green politics, European federalism, Alter-globalization, Regionalism

Non-elected parties[edit]

Acronym and Name National coalition Leader or Chairman Political Position
UPR: Popular Republican Union None François Asselineau French nationalism, Hard Euroscepticism
CJ: Comités Jeanne None Jean-Marie Le Pen Nationalism, Euroscepticism, souverainism
AR: Royal Alliance None Pierre Bernard Monarchism (Orléanism), conservatism, Euroscepticism
NAR: New Royalist Action None Bertrand Renouvin Monarchism, conservatism, Euroscepticism, Gaullism
RD: Democratic Rally None Philippe Cartellier Monarchism, conservatism, Gaullism, Capetism
GE: Ecology Generation None Yves Piétrasanta Green politics, green conservatism, centre-right
GR: Revolutionary Left None Collective Marxism, socialism, Trotskyism
PCOF: Workers' Communist Party of France None Collective Communism, Marxism–Leninism, Hoxhaism, Anti-revisionism
PRCF: Pole of Communist Revival in France None Léon Landini Communism, Marxism-Leninism, Left-wing nationalism
OCML-VP: Marxist–Leninist Communist Organization – Proletarian Way None Collective Communism, Marxism-Leninism-Maoism
PP: Pirate Party None Maxime Rouquet, Guillaume Lecoquierre Intellectual property reform, protection of privacy and individual liberty
LO: Workers' Struggle None Nathalie Arthaud, spokeswoman Trotskyism, internationalism, feminism
PL: Libertarian Party None Guilhem d'Urbal Libertarianism
UCL: Libertarian Communist Union None Collective Anarchist Communism, Anarcha-feminism
JC: New Jacobin Party None Gerald d'Ouvril, acting leader

Maximilien Robespierre, youth leader

Jacobinism, Republicanism
Volt: Volt France None Cécile Richard, Adrien Copros European federalism, Social liberalism, Progressivism, Pro-Europeanism
SP: Solidarity and Progress None Jacques Cheminade Euroscepticism, LaRouchism

French Revolution[edit]

Historical parties[edit]

Political parties in French overseas possessions[edit]

Historical parties[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ part of Hauts-de-France

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Elections régionales : le FN vainqueur du premier tour". Le Monde.fr. 6 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Régionales : le PS se retire en PACA et dans le Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie". 6 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Will Macron's Centrism Defeat France's Growing Right Wing?". The New Yorker. 14 April 2022.