Républicains

Les Républicains (LR) is a center-right political party in France, founded in 2015 as the successor to the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), itself the continuation of the Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR). The party positions itself on the center-right of the political spectrum and aims to combine market-oriented economic reforms with a commitment to national defense and public security. It supports pro-business policies, tax reform, and a pragmatic approach to European integration, advocating reforms to EU rules while preserving the Union. Social policy leans toward traditional values, with emphasis on national identity and secularism, while maintaining a commitment to social welfare within a fiscally sustainable framework.

LR operates with a national leadership and a parliamentary group in the National Assembly. Its presidency has been held by several figures, including Nicolas Sarkozy, Alain Juppé, Laurent Wauquiez, Christian Jacob, and Éric Ciotti (who has led since 2021). The party has been affiliated at the European level with the European People’s Party (EPP) and has sought to shape center-right politics within France and Europe.

In elections, Les Républicains has been a major force on the French right, contributing to policy debates on taxation, pension reform, defense, and immigration. It has served in government or coalition roles when allied with the presidency, and has acted as the main opposition party during other periods. LR remains a significant and evolving force in French politics, with internal debates between more liberal and more conservative wings. Note: in broader usage, républicains can refer to adherents of republicanism; this article focuses on the French political party Les Républicains.