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Independent Republicans Républicains Indépendants | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing |
| Founded | |
| Dissolved | May 20, 1977; 48 years ago (1977-05-20) |
| Split from | National Centre of Independents and Peasants |
| Succeeded by | Republican Party |
| Ideology | Liberal conservatism[1] Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| Colours | Navy |
TheIndependent Republicans (French:Républicains Indépendants,pronounced[ʁepyblikɛ̃ɛ̃depɑ̃dɑ̃];RI) were aliberal-conservative political group inFrance founded in 1962, which became apolitical party in 1966 known as theNational Federation of the Independent Republicans (Fédération nationale des républicains et indépendants[fedeʁɑsjɔ̃nɑsjɔnaldeʁepyblikɛ̃eɛ̃depɑ̃dɑ̃];FNRI). Its leader wasValéry Giscard d'Estaing.
In 1977 it became theRepublican Party which joined theUnion for French Democracy (UDF) the following year.
The Independent Republicans came from the liberal-conservativeNational Centre of Independents and Peasants (CNIP). In 1962, the CNIP chose to leaveCharles de Gaulle's coalition due to hisEuroscepticism and the presidential of the regime. But, the CNIP ministers refused to leave the cabinet and the "presidential majority". Under the leadership of the Minister of Economy and FinancesValéry Giscard d'Estaing, they created the group of the Independent Republicans. It was the small partner of theGaullists which tried to influence the executive's policy in favour ofeconomic liberalism andEuropean federalism.
The relation with the Gaullists tensed when Giscard was dismissed from the cabinet in 1966. The group became a political party, the National Federation of the Independent Republicans (FNRI), directed by the general secretaryMichel Poniatowski. Giscard defined the Independent Republicans as "liberal, centrist and pro-European". It stood in the parliamentary majority, but chosen a critical attitude. Giscard summed up his opinion about the Gaullist policy by a "yes, but...".
In 1969, the party divided about the referendum of regionalisation andSenate's reform. Giscard called to vote "no". President de Gaulle resigned when the "no" won. The FNRI supported the winning candidacy ofGeorges Pompidou for the presidency and its leader re-integrated the cabinet as Economy Minister.
In 1974, after President Pompidou's death, Giscard announced his candidacy at the1974 presidential election. It was supported by the FNRI, theReform Movement and, covertly, by some Gaullists. He eliminated GaullistJacques Chaban-Delmas in the first round and then defeated SocialistFrançois Mitterrand in the run-off.
Three years later, the FNRI was replaced by theRepublican Party (PR) which became the liberal-conservative wing of theUnion for French Democracy (UDF) created in 1978.
| Election | Candidate | First round | Second round | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| 1974 | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing | 8,326,774 | 32.60 | 13,396,203 | 50.81 | Won |
| Election | Leader | 1st round | 2nd round | Seats | +/− | Government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||||
| 1962 | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing | 1,089,348 | 5.94 | 1,444,666 | 9.46 | 27 / 491 |  27 | Presidential majority |
| 1967 | 8,448,082 | 37.73 | 7,972,908 | 42.60 | 42 / 491 | 15 | Presidential majority | |
| 1968 | 9,667,532 | 43.65 | 6,762,170 | 46.39 | 61 / 491 | 19 | Presidential majority | |
| 1973 | 8,242,661 | 34.68 | 10,701,135 | 45.62 | 55 / 491 |  6 | Presidential majority | |
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