Union of the Right for the Republic

The Union of the Right for the Republic[a] (French: Union des droites pour la République, UDR), formerly known as the Association of Friends of Éric Ciotti (French: Association des Amis d'Éric Ciotti) and On the Right! Friends of Éric Ciotti (French: À droite ! Les Amis d'Éric Ciotti, ADAEC), is a right-wing[3][4] to far-right[5][6][7][8] political party in France. Founded in 2012 by Éric Ciotti, former president of The Republicans (LR), the party took its current name following the crisis within The Republicans due to the 2024 legislative election.

Union of the Right for the Republic
Union des droites pour la République
AbbreviationUDR
PresidentÉric Ciotti
General SecretaryHanane Mansouri
Vice PresidentsFrançois Falletti [fr]
Alexandre Avril
Christelle d'Intorni
Brigitte Barèges
Sophie Vaginay-Ricourt
FounderÉric Ciotti
Founded3 September 2012 (2012-09-03) (as the Friends of Éric Ciotti)
31 August 2024 (2024-08-31) (as the UDR)
Split fromThe Republicans (2024)
Headquarters15 Quai des Deux-Emmanuel, Nice, France
IdeologyConservatism
Right-wing populism
Political positionRight-wing to far-right
National affiliationUMP/LR (2012–2024)
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party
SloganPour que la France reste la France (transl. So that France remains France)
National Assembly
16 / 577
European Parliament
1 / 79
Website
www.udr.fr

History

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Beginnings

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The Association of Friends of Éric Ciotti[9] was founded on 3 September 2012 by Éric Ciotti. Its headquarters were established at 15 Quai des Deux-Emmanuel in Nice, France.[10] The political party was also named "On the Right! Friends of Éric Ciotti".[11][12]

In 2021, Ciotti, who was representing the 1st constituency of Alpes-Maritimes in the National Assembly, aimed to structure the right-wing of The Republicans (LR) party, and set his conditions for candidates during his traditional reunion with the "Friends of Éric Ciotti".[13] Seeking those nostalgic of François Fillon's leadership, he used the database of supporters of the Republican Force [fr], and obtained between three and four hundred requests for membership in the Association of Friends of Éric Ciotti.[14] While candidate for the presidency of The Republicans, Ciotti unveiled his campaign slogan, "la droite au cœur" (transl. The Right at the Heart), during a reunion of the "Friends of Éric Ciotti" in September 2022.[15] In 2023, Nice municipal councilor Bernard Chaix became the vice president of the party.[16]

2024 legislative election

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During of the 2024 legislative election, Ciotti made an agreement with the leadership of the National Rally (RN) without consulting his party.[17] This deal aimed to run his candidates under the joint LR-RN label, registered with the prefecture under the name of his minor party "On the Right! Friends of Éric Ciotti".[18][19] Campaign posters and candidate declarations bore the labels "Candidat républicain" (transl. Republican candidate) or "Républicains à droite" (transl. Republicans on the right), the later of which appeared on his office façade starting on 27 June.[20][21] The Ministry of the Interior classified these candidates under the political designation "Union of the Far-Right" (UXD), a classification disputed by Ciotti, who demanded they be categorized under "Union of the Right",[22] denouncing the ministry's decision as a "scandalous maneuver".[23] A total of 64 candidates were registered under this label, with less than half coming from the LR party.[24] The list also included former supporters of Éric Zemmour, close associates of CNews commentators Marion Maréchal and Pierre-Édouard Stérin, former Socialist Party politician Thierry Coudert [fr], and former La République en Marche-supporting lawyer Alexandre Humbert Dupalais.[25][26][27]

In the first round of the election, Christelle d'Intorni was reelected to her seat, and 60 candidates of the LR-RN alliance advanced to the second round, with 38 of them leading in their constituencies.[28] In the second round, seventeen candidates supported by Éric Ciotti and the National Rally were elected, surpassing the mininmum threshold of fifteen deputies required to form a parliamentary group at the National Assembly.[29] These newly-elected deputies established their own group in the 17th legislature of the French Fifth Republic, initially called the On the Right group.[30]

Creation of the Union of the Right for the Republic

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On 31 August 2024, amid the ongoing unresolved crisis within The Republicans, Ciotti announced his intention to form a new party called the Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR).[31] This name evoked a former Gaullist party, the Union of Democrats for the Republic, also abbreviated as UDR.[32]

Leadership

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As of 3 October 2024[33]
Role Name
President Éric Ciotti
Deputy Vice President Guilhem Carayon
Vice Presidents François Falletti [fr], Alexandre Avril, Christelle d'Intorni, Brigitte Barèges, Sophie Vaginay-Ricourt
General Secretary Hanane Mansouri
Deputy General Secretaries Charles Alloncle, Gérault Verny, Vincent Trébuchet, Théo Michel
Treasurer Bernard Chaix
General Delegates Arnaud Dassier, Antoine Valentin
National Delegates Laurent Castillo, Charles Prats [fr], Sébastien Laye, Philippe Fontana

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This is the most common translation of the party's name in English.[1] It is also occasionally translated as the Union of the Rights for the Republic.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Union of the Right for the Republic: Eric Ciotti launches his new party". Entrevue.fr. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  2. ^ de Lauzun, Hélène (2 September 2024). "New Right-Wing Party To Create French 'Union of the Rights'". The European Conservative. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  3. ^ "France". Europe Elects. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Le groupe UDR en quelques mots" [The UDR group in a few words]. Datan (in French). Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  5. ^ Hollmann, Tom (27 June 2024). "Législatives : LFI à gauche, « Les Amis d'Éric Ciotti » à l'extrême droite… Comment sont définies les nuances politiques ?". Le Parisien (in French). Archived from the original on 19 July 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Rappel nuances - Elections Législatives 2024 - Publication des résultats des élections en France" (in French). Ministère de l'Intérieur. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ^ Legrave-Jérôme, Ulysse (1 July 2024). "Législatives 2024 : « Les amis d'Eric Ciotti » surfent sur la vague d'extrême droite". Les Echos (in French). Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  8. ^ Ollivier, Christine (20 June 2024). "Eric Ciotti fâché d'être classé à l'extrême droite". L'Opinion (in French). Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  9. ^ Motet, Laura (10 February 2017). "D'où vient le financement des partis politiques ?". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Décisions du 3 septembre 2012 portant agrément d'associations de financement d'un parti ou d'une organisation politique". Journal officiel de la République française (in French) (219). 20 September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Liste des partis politiques enregistrés à la commission" (in French). Commission nationale des comptes de campagne et des financements politiques. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Publication des comptes 2022 de À droite ! Les Amis d'Éric Ciotti" (PDF) (in French). Commission nationale des comptes de campagne et des financements politiques. 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  13. ^ Ollivier, Christine (16 August 2021). "Présidentielle : Eric Ciotti veut peser sur la primaire des Républicains". Le Journal du Dimanche (in French). Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Congrès LR : Eric Ciotti prospecte les fillonistes du parti Force Républicaine". La Lettre (in French). 18 November 2021. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  15. ^ Cittone, Jean (11 November 2022). "Éric Ciotti fait une démonstration de force pour sa rentrée politique". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  16. ^ Fritel, Lou (27 August 2023). "Au Cannet, Les Républicains veulent (re) devenir « un parti de gouvernement »". Paris Match (in French). Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  17. ^ Legrave-Jérôme, Ulysse (24 June 2024). "Législatives 2024 : « Les amis d'Eric Ciotti » visent un groupe à l'Assemblée". Les Echos (in French). Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  18. ^ Vignal, François (18 June 2024). "Pourquoi les LR vont exclure Eric Ciotti de la présidence du parti… une troisième fois ?". Public Sénat (in French). Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  19. ^ David, Romain (26 June 2024). "Législatives : face aux déboires de LR, les micro-partis, solutions de repli pour de nombreux candidats". Public Sénat (in French). Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  20. ^ Barbarit, Simon (3 July 2024). "Législatives : le financement politique des partis, l'autre enjeu du scrutin". Public Sénat (in French). Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  21. ^ Fleury, Mathias (27 June 2024). "Nice: Éric Ciotti a fait changer la bannière "Les Républicains" par "Républicains à droite" sur sa permanence". BFM TV (in French). Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Législatives 2024 : Eric Ciotti demande que ses candidats LR alliés au RN soient officiellement classés en "union de la droite" et non "union de l'extrême droite"". France Info (in French). 20 June 2024. Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  23. ^ Cimbidhi, Eloïse (20 June 2024). "«Une manœuvre scandaleuse» : Éric Ciotti récuse l'appellation «union de l'extrême droite» du ministère de l'Intérieur". Le Figaro (in French). Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  24. ^ Houard-Vial, Emilien (21 June 2024). "Qui sont les amis de Ciotti ? 7 points sur le bloc de députés LR-RN". Le Grand Continent (in French). Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  25. ^ Madaoui, Sabrina (21 June 2024). "«J'ai cru en Macron», ce candidat se présente aujourd'hui pour l'extrême droite". Le Progrès (in French). Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  26. ^ Pedro, Alexandre; Guillou, Clément (17 June 2024). "Législatives 2024 : « Les amis d'Eric Ciotti » alliés avec le RN, un ensemble hétéroclite où les LR sont minoritaires". Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  27. ^ Guillou, Clément; Pedro, Alexandre; Trippenbach, Ivanne (26 June 2024). "« Versailles connection » : comment le milliardaire Pierre-Edouard Stérin place ses pions au RN". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  28. ^ Legrave-Jérôme, Ulysse (1 July 2024). "Législatives 2024 : « Les amis d'Eric Ciotti » surfent sur la vague d'extrême droite". Les Echos (in French). Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  29. ^ Sulzer, Alexandre; L., Q. (8 July 2024). "Au lendemain des législatives, quel rôle pour Éric Ciotti et ses troupes à l'Assemblée nationale ?". Le Parisien (in French). Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  30. ^ "Résultats législatives 2024 : Eric Ciotti baptise son nouveau groupe parlementaire « A Droite »". 20 minutes (in French). 9 July 2024. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  31. ^ "Éric Ciotti annonce créer son propre parti, l'Union des droites pour la République". France Bleu (in French). 31 August 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  32. ^ "Éric Ciotti lance l'Union des droites pour la République (UDR), estimant que la "marque LR est dépassée"". RMC (in French). 1 September 2024. Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  33. ^ "Eric Ciotti reveals the leadership team of the Union of the Right for the Republic" (in French). Entrevue.fr. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.