The Popular Right (French: La Droite populaire, commonly known as La Droite pop) is a recognised movement within the National Rally (RN) since 2019, previously within the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and The Republicans (LR). It was founded in 2010 as the Collectif parlementaire de la Droite populaire, a caucus of UMP parliamentarians which included 26 members of the National Assembly. The Popular Right seeks to emphasise issues such as national identity, security and immigration. Its leader is Thierry Mariani, currently an MEP.
The Popular Right La Droite populaire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Thierry Mariani |
| Founder | Thierry Mariani, Lionnel Luca, Richard Mallié, Jean-Paul Garraud, Philippe Meunier, Jacques Myard |
| Founded | 14 July 2010 |
| Ideology | Conservatism |
| Political position | Right-wing |
| National affiliation |
|
| Colours | Navy blue |
| European Parliament | 2 / 79
|
| Website | |
| droitepopulaire | |
History and ideology
editThe movement was created as an informal parliamentary caucus within the then-governing UMP in June 2010 by Lionnel Luca, Richard Mallié, Jean-Paul Garraud and Thierry Mariani - all members of the UMP's right-wing.[1] It was later joined by other parliamentarians, most of them from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France, a region where the far-right National Front is very strong.
The movement's charter [2] focused on six themes: nation, patriotism, free enterprise, family policy, security, responsible management of public finances, and French prestige abroad. Emphasizing some of the most right-wing and law-and-order aspect of former President Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 platform, it focused much of its actions on immigration and security. It has strongly opposed foreigners' right to vote in local elections.[3]
It has often created controversy because of its radical positions on certain issues, for example when it asked for references to gender to be removed from school textbooks.[4] Some of its members have also indicated their support for local alliances with the far-right National Front, raising controversy within the UMP and on the left.[5]
The group was badly hurt by the 2012 legislative elections, after which its weight in the French National Assembly shrank from 63 to 26 deputies. 37 of its members lost reelection. As it restructured itself as a motion for the November 2012 congress, leaders such as Thierry Mariani worried about the rise of similar motions such as The Strong Right.[6]
Weight within the UMP
editAs a motion for the November 2012 congress, the Droite Populaire did badly, placing fifth with 10.87% of the motions vote,[7] barely enough to qualify as a recognized movement in the UMP.
Members
editOfficial website, list of members
Deputies
editOther members
edit- Brigitte Barèges, former deputy and mayor of Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne)
- Philippe Boënnec, former deputy and mayor of Pornic (Loire-Atlantique)
- Éric Diard, former deputy and mayor of Sausset-les-Pins (Bouches-du-Rhône)
- Maryse Joissains-Masini, former deputy and mayor of Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône)
- Philippe Marini, Senator (Oise)
- Richard Mallié, former deputy and mayor of Bouc-Bel-Air (Bouches-du-Rhône)
- Georges Mothron, former deputy and mayor of Argenteuil (Val-d'Oise)
- Éric Raoult, former deputy and mayor of Raincy (Seine-Saint-Denis)
- Jean Roatta, Member of the European Parliament and former deputy
- Marie-Josée Roig, mayor of Avignon Vaucluse)
- Christian Vanneste, former deputy (Nord)
References
edit- ^ Droite populaire de l'UMP : les braillards de la droite dure nouvelobs.com, 29/07/2011
- ^ La droite décomplexée s'organise à l'Assemblée Le Figaro, 27/07/2011
- ^ "La Droite populaire lance une pétition contre le droit de vote des étrangers". Le Monde. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ le débat continue autour des manuels de SVT Ouest-France, 31 August 2011
- ^ Jarrassé, Jim (October 20, 2010). "Alliance avec le FN : un député UMP brise le tabou". Le Figaro.fr.
- ^ Lemarié, Alexandre (10 October 2012). "UMP : la Droite populaire ne veut pas perdre de parts de marché". Ump.blog.lemonde.fr. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ UMP : la Droite forte en tête du scrutin, Le Figaro, 20 November 2012