The Movement for France (, MPF; ) was a

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Eurosceptic Euroscepticism, also spelled as Euroskepticism or EU-scepticism, is a political position involving criticism of the European Union (EU) and European integration. It ranges from those who oppose some EU institutions and policies and seek refor ...

French political party, founded on 20 November 1994, with a marked

regional In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

stronghold in the

Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.Philippe de Villiers Philippe Marie Jean Joseph Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers (; born 25 March 1949), is a French entrepreneur, politician and novelist.Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...

. The party was considered Eurosceptic, though not to the extent of seeking

withdrawal from the European Union Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) provides for the possibility of an EU member state leaving the European Union "in accordance with its own constitutional requirements". Currently, the United Kingdom is the only state to ha ...

, contrasting with some mainstream Eurosceptic parties such as the

UK Independence Party The UK Independence Party (UKIP, ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of parliament (both through defect ...

(UKIP). The MPF resisted increases in

European integration European integration is the process of political, legal, social, regional and economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe, or nearby. European integration has primarily but not exclusively come about through the European Union ...

and campaigned successfully for a "no" vote in the French referendum of 2005 on the proposed

European Constitution The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE; commonly referred to as the European Constitution or as the Constitutional Treaty) was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European ...

. It was also strongly opposed to the possible

accession of Turkey to the European Union Turkey is negotiating its accession to the European Union (EU) as a member state, following its application to become a full member of the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor of the EU, on 14 April 1987. After the ten founding ...

and to what it saw as the

Islamisation The spread of Islam spans almost 1,400 years. The early Muslim conquests that occurred following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE led to the creation of the caliphates, expanding over a vast geographical area; conversion to Islam was boosted ...

of France. The party was a member of President

Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa ( ; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. In 2021, he was found guilty of having tried to bribe a judge in 2014 to obtain information ...

's presidential majority, which gathered allies of the ruling party

Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement ( ; UMP ) was a Liberal conservatism, liberal-conservative List of political parties in France, political party in France, largely inspired by the Gaullism, Gaullist tradition. During its existence, the UMP was o ...

(UMP). However, the party eventually distanced itself from Sarkozy, and party leader Villiers expressed support for

Marine Le Pen Marion Anne Perrine "Marine" Le Pen (; born 5 August 1968) is a French lawyer and politician of the far-right National Rally, National Rally party (RN). She served as the party's president from 2011 to 2021, and ran for the French presidency in ...

in the 2017 presidential elections.

History

1990s

Founded in 1994, the party nominated

Philippe de Villiers Philippe Marie Jean Joseph Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers (; born 25 March 1949), is a French entrepreneur, politician and novelist.1995 presidential election. He obtained over a million votes and 4.74% of the popular vote, but failed to pass 5%. In the 1997 legislative election, the MPF joined forces with the

National Centre of Independents and Peasants The National Centre of Independents and Peasants (, ; CNIP) is a right-wing agrarian political party in France, founded in 1951 by the merger of the National Centre of Independents (CNI), the heir of the French Republican conservative-liberal ...

as ''La Droite Indépendante'' (LDI). Philippe de Villiers was re-elected, as was one of his allies, who nonetheless left the party soon thereafter. It contested the 1999 European Parliamentary elections in alliance with the Rassemblement pour la France (RPF) of

Charles Pasqua Charles Victor Pasqua (18 April 192729 June 2015) was a French businessman and Gaullist politician. He was Interior Minister from 1986 to 1988, under Jacques Chirac's ''cohabitation'' government, and also from 1993 to 1995, under the government ...

, the combination winning 13 seats, surpassing

Rassemblement pour la République The Rally for the Republic ( ; RPR ) was a Gaullism#Political legacy after de Gaulle, Gaullist and Conservatism in France, conservative List of political parties in France, political party in France. Originating from the Union of Democrats for t ...

(RPR) list.

2000s

The MPF formed an alliance with the RPF, but Villiers fell out with Pasqua the following year. Standing by itself in the 2004 European elections, the MPF obtained 7.6% of the popular vote and returned three

Members of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Comm ...

(MEPs). The party was a member of the Independence and Democracy group in the European Parliament. Villiers declared his candidacy for the 2007 presidential election and appointed a secretary-general, Guillaume Peltier, then ranked second in the party. He ranked sixth out of twelve candidates, obtaining 2.23% (818,407 votes), down almost 2% from his previous candidacy in 1995. His best scores came in

Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire (; but can also mean 'Lower Loire') is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, located on the country's Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. It was created in the 1950s to serve as a zone of influence for its capital an ...

with 4.99% and

Poitou-Charentes Poitou-Charentes (; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ) was an administrative region on the southwest coast of France. It comprised four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. It included the historical provinces of Angoumo ...

with 3.58%. Unlike in 1995, he failed to win in his department of

Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.2007 legislative election, MPF candidates ran nationwide, but only one candidate was elected – Véronique Besse in Vendée's 4th constituency by the first round. Former MPF member Joël Sarlot was also elected by the first round in the Vendée's 5th constituency. Sarlot subsequently lent support to the victorious

(UMP) in the National Assembly. Sarlot's election was invalidated in 2007 and Dominique Souchet, a ''Villierist'' won the ensuing

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

easily. Other candidates, mostly in the south of France obtained important scores. Jacques Bompard, in the 4th constituency of

Vaucluse Vaucluse (; or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.

won over 20%. In the

2009 European Parliament election The 2009 European Parliament election was held in the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Member of the European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected to represent s ...

, the party ran with Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition under the umbrella of the

Libertas Libertas (Latin for 'liberty' or 'freedom', ) is the Roman goddess and personification of liberty. She became a politicised figure in the late republic. She sometimes also appeared on coins from the imperial period, such as Galba's "Freedom ...

political movement led by Irish businessman

Declan Ganley Declan James Ganley (born 23 July 1968) is an English-born Irish entrepreneur, businessman, and political activist. He was the founder and leader of the Irish branch of the eurosceptic Libertas Party. Primarily a telecommunications entrepreneur ...

. It won 4.8% and only

Philippe de Villiers Philippe Marie Jean Joseph Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers (; born 25 March 1949), is a French entrepreneur, politician and novelist.Patrick Louis was defeated. The MPF was the only Libertas affiliated party throughout the whole of the European Union to elect MEPs in 2009. The party was member of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group during the 7th European Parliament. In August 2009, Philippe de Villiers announced that the MPF would join the Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority, which co-ordinates the member parties of the majority supporting the policies of President

Decline (2010s)

During the 2010s, the MPF gradually lost all its electoral representation. The party did not take part in the

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

and

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

presidential elections A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The ...

. Party leader Villiers expressed his personal support for

in the 2017 presidential election. The party was dissolved by its secretary-general Patrick Louis on 28 June 2018.

Ideology

The MPF was a souverainist party which supported the national independence of France within a Europe "of peoples and co-operation". Unlike the

United Kingdom Independence Party The UK Independence Party (UKIP, ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), member ...

, it did not support France's withdrawal from the EU but rather a massive overhaul of it. The MPF was a strong critic of what it saw as excessive bureaucracy and technocracy in the EU. The MPF and Villers, mostly due to their views on Islam and Muslim immigration, have been labeled in world news media such as ''

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...

'', ''

Der Spiegel (, , stylized in all caps) is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of about 724,000 copies in 2022, it is one of the largest such publications in Europe. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...

'', ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'', ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

'', and '' The San Francisco Chronicle'' as "far right". According to its electoral platform, its various proposals included:

European Union

* Restore the rule of national law over EU law. * Ceasing negotiations over the

, and begin a process of

privileged partnership Privileged may refer to: Film and television * ''Privileged'' (TV series), a 2008 US television series * ''Privileged'' (film), a 1982 Hollywood film Other uses * Immunologically privileged site, a body location where immune response to ...

with Turkey and other

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

countries. * Allow the countries of Europe to form their own, independent foreign policies. * Follow a policy of respect of national borders and control of immigration. * Put the national Parliaments in the middle of European construction and giving them veto power on the vital interests of the people which they represent. * Put the European Union and the euro at the service of the growth and employment. * Found a European preference for industry and the services, as for agriculture. * Opposition to the

Lisbon Treaty The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is a European agreement that amends the two Treaty, treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by all Member stat ...

and halting the ratification process. * Draft a "fundamental treaty" of the European Union based on a free association of independent nations and peoples.

Economy

* Establishing a "European protectionism" with tariffs on external imports. Within France, it is more

neoliberal Neoliberalism is a political and economic ideology that advocates for free-market capitalism, which became dominant in policy-making from the late 20th century onward. The term has multiple, competing definitions, and is most often used pej ...

in supporting lower taxes to encourage the growth of industries within France. * End the 35-hour workweek * Liberalization of the fixed retirement age (60) * Maximum rate of taxation at 38% * Repealing the

solidarity tax on wealth The solidarity tax on wealth (, ISF) was an annual direct wealth tax on those in France having assets in excess of €1,300,000 (since 2011). It was one of the Socialist Party's 1981 electoral platform's measures, 110 Propositions for France. Fi ...

(ISF)

Internal issues

* Referendum on the re-establishment of the

death penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...

* Forbid the wearing of the

hijab Hijab (, ) refers to head coverings worn by Women in Islam, Muslim women. Similar to the mitpaḥat/tichel or Snood (headgear), snood worn by religious married Jewish women, certain Christian head covering, headcoverings worn by some Christian w ...

in public. * Establishing a moratorium on constructing mosques in France. * Abolition of the

French Council of the Muslim Faith The French Council of the Muslim Faith (, usually abbreviated to CFCM), was a national elected body, to serve as an official interlocutor with the French state in the regulation of Muslim religious activities.Mayanthi Fernando, MERIP. It was a no ...

(CFCM) * Opposition to

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...

: constitutional amendment establishing marriage as between a man and a woman * The party supports alternatives to abortion though it does not support forbidding it

Organization

Leadership

Elected officials

The MPF elected some representatives, including two deputies ( Véronique Besse and Dominique Souchet, part of

Non-Inscrits Non-attached members, also known by the French term (, NI), are members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who do not belong to one of the recognised political groups, which as May 2025 consisted of 8 groups ranging between far-left and fa ...

), two senators (

Bruno Retailleau Bruno Daniel Marie Paul Retailleau (; born 20 November 1960) is a French politician who has served as Minister of the Interior (France), Minister of the Interior and Minister of State in the Bayrou government, as well as the preceding Barnier gov ...

and Philippe Darniche, part of RASNAG) and a MEP (

Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.President of the General Council In France, the President of the Departmental Council (French language, French: ''Président du Conseil départemental'') is the locally elected head of the Departmental councils (France), departmental council, the assembly governing a Departments ...

. It had 10 general councillors in Vendée in addition to one in the

Morbihan The Morbihan ( , ; ) is a departments of France, department in the administrative region of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Gulf of Morbihan, Morbihan (''small sea'' in Breton ...

(

Quiberon Quiberon (; , ) is a commune in the French department of Morbihan, administrative region of Brittany, western France. It is on the southern part of the Quiberon peninsula, the northern part being the commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon. It is ...

), one in the

Meuse The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of . History From 1301, the upper ...

( Charny-sur-Meuse) and two in the

Vaucluse Vaucluse (; or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.

( Orange). It claimed 5 regional councillors, most of which were elected on FN lists in 2004.

Youth wing

The Youth for France ( French: ''Jeunes pour la France'', JPF) was founded in 2001 by Guillaume Peltier as the party's youth organisation. Its successive presidents included Peltier (2001–2006), Jean-Baptiste Doat (2006–2008), Thibaud Vincendeau (2008–2010), Christophe Bentz (2010–2011) and Pierre Meurin (2014–2018).

Electoral performance

The MPF had little electoral clout and most of its support was concentrated in Philippe de Villiers' department of

Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.Traditionalist Catholic Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement that emphasizes beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, liturgical forms, devotions and presentations of teaching associated with the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). ...

department which maintains a sense of pride in the monarchist counter-revolution and the Chouans during the French Revolution. In the 2009 European election, Villiers' list won the department with 32.96% while polling only 4.8% nationally. In the 2004 European election the MPF won 38.63% and it won 31.9% in the 1999 elections and 34.75% in 1994. However, the MPF is weaker in the department in national elections – such as presidential votes. Philippe de Villiers, who had won 22.02% in his department in the 1995 presidential election (he also got first place) came in fourth place with 11.28% in the 2007 presidential election. His electoral base in the department is his constituency – Vendée's 4th constituency – in which he consistently does better than in the department as a whole. His influence waned, however: through considered to be pro-EU in general, the department voted against the

Maastricht Treaty The Treaty on European Union, commonly known as the Maastricht Treaty, is the foundation treaty of the European Union (EU). Concluded in 1992 between the then-twelve Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Communities, ...

in 1992 due to Villiers' influence, but it voted for the

in 2005. It was the only department to switch between a NO vote in 1992 and a YES vote in 2005. The MPF was also strong in other departments, mostly those neighboring Vendée. In 2009, for example, Villiers' list won 14.26% in the

Deux-Sèvres Deux-Sèvres (, Poitevin-Saintongese: ''Deùs Saevres'') is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a ...

, a department which is also strongly Catholic. It also won 12.36% in

Charente-Maritime Charente-Maritime (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Chérente-Marine''; ) is a Departments of France, department in the French Regions of France, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, on the country's west coast. Named after the river Charente (river), Charen ...

, 10.39% in

Maine-et-Loire Maine-et-Loire () is a department in the Loire Valley in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France. It is named after the two rivers, Maine and the Loire. It borders Mayenne and Sarthe to the north, Loire-Atlantique to the west, Indr ...

, 9.79% in

Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...

, 9.29% in Vienne and 8.56% in

Loire-Atlantique Loire-Atlantique (; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Louére-Atantique''; ; before 1957: ''Loire-Inférieure'', ) is a departments of France, department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France, named after the river Loire and the Atlantic Ocean. ...

. Due to Jacques Bompard, it also polled 6.40% in the southeastern

Vaucluse Vaucluse (; or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.

department.

References

External links

Official Movement for France web siteOfficial web site of the MPF with the European ParliamentSit Web of the JPF
{{DEFAULTSORT:Movement For France Libertas.eu 1994 establishments in France 2018 disestablishments in France Political parties established in 1994 Political parties disestablished in 2018 Right-wing parties in France Conservative parties in France Right-wing populism in France French nationalist parties Eurosceptic parties in France

History

1990s

2000s

Decline (2010s)

Ideology

European Union

Economy

Internal issues

Organization

Leadership

Elected officials

Youth wing

Electoral performance

Presidential

Legislative

European Parliament

See also

References

External links