Republican Party (France)

The Republican Party (French: Parti Républicain, PR) was a French political party of the centre-right that existed from 1977 to 1997. It was the successor to the Independent Republicans (RI), a party founded by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who became President of France in 1974.

The Republican Party positioned itself as liberal and pro-European, advocating for economic liberalism and a strong European Union. It was a key component of the Union for French Democracy (UDF), a centre-right federation of parties. Prominent figures within the party included Jean-Pierre Soisson, François Léotard, and Alain Madelin.

Throughout its existence, the Republican Party participated in various coalition governments. Its influence waned in the mid-1990s, leading to internal divisions and ultimately its dissolution in 1997.

In 1997, the Republican Party merged with other parties to form Liberal Democracy (Démocratie Libérale), under the leadership of Alain Madelin. This new entity aimed to present a more clearly liberal and economically focused platform within the French political landscape. Liberal Democracy later merged into the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), now known as The Republicans (Les Républicains). Thus, although the Republican Party itself no longer exists, its legacy contributes to the broader centre-right political family in France.