Left Radical Party
Encyclopedia
The Radical Party of the Left (Parti Radical de Gauche, PRG) is a minor social-liberal
, and in opposition to its common understanding of its name, a moderate centre-left
political party in France advocating radicalism
, secularism
to its french extend known as laïcité
, progressivism
, pro-Europeanism, individual freedom and differs mainly from the Social-democrats
and the Socialist Party
on advocating private property
.
The PRG retains some support among middle-class voters and in traditional Radical areas in the South-West, but it only gains parliamentary representation by courtesy of the Socialist Party
, with which it has been in close alliance since 1982, often running joint lists or candidates. The PRG is the major left-wing party in Haute-Corse
, Hautes-Pyrénées
and in Tarn-et-Garonne
.
Its President is Jean-Michel Baylet
and its Secretary-General is Elisabeth Boyer.
The party's youth wing are the Young Radicals of the Left
.
and the French Communist Party
. At that time the party was known as the Movement of the Radical-Socialist Left (Mouvement de la Gauche Radicale-Socialiste, MGRS), then as the Movement of Radicals of the Left (Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche, MRG).
Led by Robert Fabre
in the 1970s, the party was the third partner of the "Union of the Left". Nevertheless, its electoral influence did not compare with those of its two allies, which competed for the leadership over the left. It went through its first major crisis when Robert Fabre
became close to President Giscard d'Estaing
and was excluded.
Michel Crépeau
was nominated by the party for the presidential candidacy in 1981
. It obtained 2% in the first round and called to vote for the wining candidate François Mitterrand
in the second. The Radicals of the Left played a supporting role in governmental coalition dominated by the Socialists from 1981 to 1986, and again from 1988 to 1993.
At the beginning of the 1990s, under the leadership of the popular businessmen Bernard Tapie
, they hoped to benefit from the crisis of the Socialist Party
. The list led by Tapie obtained just 11,98% and 13 seats of the votes in the 1994 European Parliament election
. However Tapie retired from politics in due to his legal problems and the party, renamed the Radical-Socialist Party (Parti Radical-Socialiste, PRS), returned to its lowest ebb.
After the Radical Party opened legal proceedings against the PRS, it was forced to change its name to Radical Party of the Left (Parti Radical de Gauche, PRG). From 1997 to 2002 it came back in government as junior component of the Plural Left coalition. In the 2002 presidential election
, the PRG decided to nominate its own candidate for the first time since 1981. It chose Christiane Taubira
who got 2.32% of the vote. Taubira gave her name to the 2001 law which declared the Atlantic slave trade
a crime against humanity
.
In the 2007 presidential election
, while the party supported the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal
, Bernard Tapie, who had been a leading figure in the PRG, supported Nicolas Sarkozy
.
In the 2007 legislative election
the party won seven out of 577 seats, in addition to two overseas seats in Guyane (Taubira) and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
In the 2009 European Parliament election
, the party did not run or support any list, not even the PS
lists.
won 2.32% of the vote); which explains why the party depends on its stronger ally, the Socialist Party
for support. Almost all of the party's deputies and local officials were elected with no official Socialist opposition.
The major exception is in Corsica
, where the party has historically been the largest party on the non-nationalist left and remains so to this day, due to a tradition of political dynasties (such as the Giacobbi family) and the weak infrastructure of the PS on the island. Paul Giacobbi
represents Haute-Corse
in the National Assembly (Émile Zuccarelli
, an internal rival of Giacobbi and current mayor of Bastia
also represented the island in Paris until his 2007 defeat), and Senators Nicolas Alfonsi
and François Vendasi
represent the Corsican PRG in the Senate. Giacobbi is also President of the general council
of Haute-Corse
.
In metropolitan France, the PRG is able to sustain a long-lasting Radical tradition dating back to the French Third Republic
, most notably in the southwest or departments such as the Eure-et-Loir
and Eure
.
The party is represented overseas in French Guiana
by Christiane Taubira
's Walwari
, one of the major parties of the local left.
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
, and in opposition to its common understanding of its name, a moderate centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
political party in France advocating radicalism
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
, secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
to its french extend known as laïcité
Laïcité
French secularism, in French, laïcité is a concept denoting the absence of religious involvement in government affairs as well as absence of government involvement in religious affairs. French secularism has a long history but the current regime is based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of...
, progressivism
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
, pro-Europeanism, individual freedom and differs mainly from the Social-democrats
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
and the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
on advocating private property
Private property
Private property is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Private property is distinguishable from public property, which refers to assets owned by a state, community or government rather than by...
.
The PRG retains some support among middle-class voters and in traditional Radical areas in the South-West, but it only gains parliamentary representation by courtesy of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
, with which it has been in close alliance since 1982, often running joint lists or candidates. The PRG is the major left-wing party in Haute-Corse
Haute-Corse
Haute-Corse is a French department. It constitutes the northern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the department of Corse was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
, Hautes-Pyrénées
Hautes-Pyrénées
Hautes-Pyrénées is a department in southwestern France. It is part of the Midi-Pyrénées region.-History:...
and in Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
.
Its President is Jean-Michel Baylet
Jean-Michel Baylet
Jean-Michel Baylet is a French politician, Senator, and leader of the moderate center-left Radical Party of the Left....
and its Secretary-General is Elisabeth Boyer.
The party's youth wing are the Young Radicals of the Left
Young Radicals of the Left
The Young Radicals of the Left , are the youth organisation of the french social-liberal Radical Party of the Left...
.
History
The party was formed in 1972 by a split from the Republican, Radical, and Radical-Socialist Party, once the dominant party of the French left. It was founded by the Radicals who chose to join the "Union of the Left" and to agree its Common Programme signed by the Socialist PartySocialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
and the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
. At that time the party was known as the Movement of the Radical-Socialist Left (Mouvement de la Gauche Radicale-Socialiste, MGRS), then as the Movement of Radicals of the Left (Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche, MRG).
Led by Robert Fabre
Robert Fabre
Robert Fabre was a French politician and pharmacist....
in the 1970s, the party was the third partner of the "Union of the Left". Nevertheless, its electoral influence did not compare with those of its two allies, which competed for the leadership over the left. It went through its first major crisis when Robert Fabre
Robert Fabre
Robert Fabre was a French politician and pharmacist....
became close to President Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing is a French centre-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981...
and was excluded.
Michel Crépeau
Michel Crépeau
Michel Crépeau was a French centre-left politician.Born in 1930, barrister, he joined the Radical Party. When it split in 1972, he founded the Movement of Left Radicals which chosen the alliance with the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party...
was nominated by the party for the presidential candidacy in 1981
French presidential election, 1981
The French presidential election of 1981 took place on 10 May 1981, giving the presidency of France to François Mitterrand, the first Socialist president of the Fifth Republic....
. It obtained 2% in the first round and called to vote for the wining candidate François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
in the second. The Radicals of the Left played a supporting role in governmental coalition dominated by the Socialists from 1981 to 1986, and again from 1988 to 1993.
At the beginning of the 1990s, under the leadership of the popular businessmen Bernard Tapie
Bernard Tapie
Bernard Tapie is a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Ministre de la Ville in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy, a businessman specializing in recovery for bankrupted companies, among which Adidas is the most famous ; and owner of sports teams...
, they hoped to benefit from the crisis of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
. The list led by Tapie obtained just 11,98% and 13 seats of the votes in the 1994 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 1994 (France)
On 12 June 1994 the fourth direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Six lists were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre-right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party, the Left Radical Party, the French Communist...
. However Tapie retired from politics in due to his legal problems and the party, renamed the Radical-Socialist Party (Parti Radical-Socialiste, PRS), returned to its lowest ebb.
After the Radical Party opened legal proceedings against the PRS, it was forced to change its name to Radical Party of the Left (Parti Radical de Gauche, PRG). From 1997 to 2002 it came back in government as junior component of the Plural Left coalition. In the 2002 presidential election
French presidential election, 2002
The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002, and a runoff election between the top two candidates on 5 May 2002. This presidential contest attracted a greater than usual amount of international attention because of Le Pen's unexpected appearance in...
, the PRG decided to nominate its own candidate for the first time since 1981. It chose Christiane Taubira
Christiane Taubira
Christiane Taubira or Christiane Taubira-Delannon is a French politician. President of her party Walwari, she has served as a deputy at the French National Assembly since 1993, and was re-elected in 1997. Non-affiliated in 1993, she then voted for the investiture of the conservative Edouard...
who got 2.32% of the vote. Taubira gave her name to the 2001 law which declared the Atlantic slave trade
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
a crime against humanity
Crime against humanity
Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings...
.
In the 2007 presidential election
French presidential election, 2007
The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France for a five-year term.The winner, decided on 5 and 6 May 2007, was Nicolas Sarkozy...
, while the party supported the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal
Ségolène Royal
Marie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party...
, Bernard Tapie, who had been a leading figure in the PRG, supported Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
.
In the 2007 legislative election
French legislative election, 2007
The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, a few weeks after the French presidential election run-off on 6 May. 7,639 candidates stood for 577 seats, including France's overseas possessions...
the party won seven out of 577 seats, in addition to two overseas seats in Guyane (Taubira) and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
In the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (France)
European elections to elect 72 French Members of the European Parliament were held on Sunday 7 June 2009.Due to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union in 2007, the number of seats allocated to France was revised from 78 seats to 72 seats, a loss of 6 seats...
, the party did not run or support any list, not even the PS
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
lists.
Elected officials
- Deputies: Gérard CharasseGérard CharasseGérard Charasse is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the 4th constituency of the Allier department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
(AllierAllierAllier is a department in central France named after the river Allier.- History :Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Auvergne and Bourbonnais.In 1940, the government of Marshal...
), Paul GiacobbiPaul GiacobbiPaul Giacobbi is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Haute-Corse department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
(Haute-CorseHaute-CorseHaute-Corse is a French department. It constitutes the northern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the department of Corse was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
), Annick GirardinAnnick GirardinAnnick Girardin is a member of the National Assembly of France. She represents the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
(Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon), Joël GiraudJoël GiraudJoël Giraud is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Hautes-Alpes department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
(Hautes-AlpesHautes-AlpesHautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
), Dominique OrliacDominique OrliacDominique Orliac is a member of the National Assembly of France. She represents the Lot department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
(LotLotLot or lots may refer to:*Lot , a unit of weight used in many European countries since Middle Ages until the beginning of the 20th century*Lot, a set of goods, together for sale in an auction; or a quantity of a financial instrument...
), Sylvia PinelSylvia PinelSylvia Pinel is a member of the National Assembly of France. She represents the Tarn-et-Garonne department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
(Tarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
), Chantal Robin-RodrigoChantal Robin-RodrigoChantal Robin-Rodrigo is a member of the National Assembly of France. She represents the Hautes-Pyrénées department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left. She is of spanish origin....
(Hautes-PyrénéesHautes-PyrénéesHautes-Pyrénées is a department in southwestern France. It is part of the Midi-Pyrénées region.-History:...
), Christiane TaubiraChristiane TaubiraChristiane Taubira or Christiane Taubira-Delannon is a French politician. President of her party Walwari, she has served as a deputy at the French National Assembly since 1993, and was re-elected in 1997. Non-affiliated in 1993, she then voted for the investiture of the conservative Edouard...
(WalwariWalwariWalwari is a political party in the French département d'outre-mer of French Guiana, created in 1993 by Christiane Taubira and Roland Delannon....
-PRG, French Guyana) (SRCSocialist, Radical, Citizen and Miscellaneous LeftThe Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche - is a French parliamentary group formed on the June 26, 2007 in the National Assembly. It brings together the left wing of French politics, uniting the centre-left Socialist Party with the Radical Party of the Left, Citizen and Republican...
Group) - Senators: Jean-Michel BayletJean-Michel BayletJean-Michel Baylet is a French politician, Senator, and leader of the moderate center-left Radical Party of the Left....
(Tarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
), Yvon CollinYvon CollinYvon Collin is a member of the Senate of France. He represents the Tarn-et-Garonne department , and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(Tarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-GaronneTarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
), Nicolas AlfonsiNicolas AlfonsiNicolas Alfonsi is a member of the Senate of France, representing the department of Corse-du-Sud. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left, and is by profession a lawyer.-References:*...
(Corse-du-SudCorse-du-SudCorse-du-Sud is a French département composed of the southern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the Corse department was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
), François VendasiFrançois VendasiFrançois Vendasi is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Haute-Corse department. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
, (Haute-CorseHaute-CorseHaute-Corse is a French department. It constitutes the northern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the department of Corse was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
), Raymond VallRaymond VallRaymond Vall is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Gers department. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(GersGersThe Gers is a department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in the southwest of France named after the Gers River.Inhabitants are called les Gersois or Gersoises.-History:...
), Anne-Marie EscoffierAnne-Marie EscoffierAnne-Marie Escoffier is a French politician and a member of the Senate of France. She represents the Aveyron department and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(AveyronAveyronAveyron is a département in southern France named after the Aveyron River.- History :Aveyron is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790....
), François FortassinFrançois FortassinFrançois Fortassin is a French politician and a member of the Senate of France. He represents the Hautes-Pyrénées department and is a secretary of the Senate and a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(Hautes-PyrénéesHautes-PyrénéesHautes-Pyrénées is a department in southwestern France. It is part of the Midi-Pyrénées region.-History:...
), Françoise LabordeFrançoise LabordeFrançoise Laborde is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Haute Garonne departement. She is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-External links:*...
(Haute-GaronneHaute-GaronneHaute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
), Jacques MézardJacques MézardJacques Mézard is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Cantal department. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(CantalCantalCantal is a department in south-central France. It is named after the Cantal mountain range, a group of extinct, eroded volcanic peaks, which covers much of the department. Residents are known as Cantaliens or Cantalous....
), Jean MilhauJean MilhauJean Milhau is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Lot Département. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left .- Biography :...
(LotLotLot or lots may refer to:*Lot , a unit of weight used in many European countries since Middle Ages until the beginning of the 20th century*Lot, a set of goods, together for sale in an auction; or a quantity of a financial instrument...
), Jean-Pierre PlancadeJean-Pierre PlancadeJean-Pierre Plancade is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Haute-Garonne department. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(Haute-GaronneHaute-GaronneHaute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
) (RDSEEuropean Democratic and Social RallyThe European Democratic and Social Rally is a social-liberal parliamentary group representing the Radical tradition in the French Senate.-Chamber of Deputies:...
Group)
Popular support
The PRG remains rather weak on its own electorally, averaging around 2% of the vote (2002 presidential candidate Christiane TaubiraChristiane Taubira
Christiane Taubira or Christiane Taubira-Delannon is a French politician. President of her party Walwari, she has served as a deputy at the French National Assembly since 1993, and was re-elected in 1997. Non-affiliated in 1993, she then voted for the investiture of the conservative Edouard...
won 2.32% of the vote); which explains why the party depends on its stronger ally, the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
for support. Almost all of the party's deputies and local officials were elected with no official Socialist opposition.
The major exception is in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, where the party has historically been the largest party on the non-nationalist left and remains so to this day, due to a tradition of political dynasties (such as the Giacobbi family) and the weak infrastructure of the PS on the island. Paul Giacobbi
Paul Giacobbi
Paul Giacobbi is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Haute-Corse department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:...
represents Haute-Corse
Haute-Corse
Haute-Corse is a French department. It constitutes the northern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the department of Corse was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
in the National Assembly (Émile Zuccarelli
Émile Zuccarelli
Émile Zuccarelli is a French politician from Corsica. He serves as honorary President of the Radical Party of the Left and mayor of Bastia. Until his defeat in the French legislative election, 2007, he was deputy for Haute-Corse.In the French regional elections, 2004, he led a PRG list in Corse,...
, an internal rival of Giacobbi and current mayor of Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
also represented the island in Paris until his 2007 defeat), and Senators Nicolas Alfonsi
Nicolas Alfonsi
Nicolas Alfonsi is a member of the Senate of France, representing the department of Corse-du-Sud. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left, and is by profession a lawyer.-References:*...
and François Vendasi
François Vendasi
François Vendasi is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Haute-Corse department. He is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
represent the Corsican PRG in the Senate. Giacobbi is also President of the general council
President of the general council
In France, the President of the General Council is the locally-elected head of the General Council, the assembly governing a departments in France. The position is elected by the general councillors from among their number. If there is a tie, the senior Councillor is elected.The President of the...
of Haute-Corse
Haute-Corse
Haute-Corse is a French department. It constitutes the northern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the department of Corse was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
.
In metropolitan France, the PRG is able to sustain a long-lasting Radical tradition dating back to the French Third Republic
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
, most notably in the southwest or departments such as the Eure-et-Loir
Eure-et-Loir
Eure-et-Loir is a French department, named after the Eure and Loir rivers.-History:Eure-et-Loir is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790 pursuant to the Act of December 22, 1789...
and Eure
Eure
Eure is a department in the north of France named after the river Eure.- History :Eure is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
.
The party is represented overseas in French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
by Christiane Taubira
Christiane Taubira
Christiane Taubira or Christiane Taubira-Delannon is a French politician. President of her party Walwari, she has served as a deputy at the French National Assembly since 1993, and was re-elected in 1997. Non-affiliated in 1993, she then voted for the investiture of the conservative Edouard...
's Walwari
Walwari
Walwari is a political party in the French département d'outre-mer of French Guiana, created in 1993 by Christiane Taubira and Roland Delannon....
, one of the major parties of the local left.
Presidential elections
| Election year | Candidate | # of 1st round votes | % of 1st round vote | # of 2nd round votes | % of 2nd round vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 French presidential election, 1981 The French presidential election of 1981 took place on 10 May 1981, giving the presidency of France to François Mitterrand, the first Socialist president of the Fifth Republic.... |
Michel Crépeau Michel Crépeau Michel Crépeau was a French centre-left politician.Born in 1930, barrister, he joined the Radical Party. When it split in 1972, he founded the Movement of Left Radicals which chosen the alliance with the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party... |
642,847 | 2.21% | — | — |
| 2002 French presidential election, 2002 The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002, and a runoff election between the top two candidates on 5 May 2002. This presidential contest attracted a greater than usual amount of international attention because of Le Pen's unexpected appearance in... |
Christiane Taubira Christiane Taubira Christiane Taubira or Christiane Taubira-Delannon is a French politician. President of her party Walwari, she has served as a deputy at the French National Assembly since 1993, and was re-elected in 1997. Non-affiliated in 1993, she then voted for the investiture of the conservative Edouard... |
660,447 | 2.32% | — | — |
Legislative elections
| Election year | # of 1st round votes | % of 1st round vote | # of seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 French legislative election, 1973 French legislative elections took place on 4 and 11 March 1973 to elect the 5th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic.In order to end the May 1968 crisis, President Charles de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly and his party, the Gaullist Party Union of Democrats for the Republic , obtained... |
classified as PS | 13 | |
| 1978 French legislative election, 1978 The French legislative elections took place on 12 March and 19 March 1978 to elect the 6th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic.On 2 April 1974 President Georges Pompidou died. The non-Gaullist center-right leader Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was elected to succeed him... |
603,932 | 2.11% | 10 |
| 1981 French legislative election, 1981 French legislative elections took place on 14 June and 21 June 1981 to elect the 7th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic.On 10 May 1981 François Mitterrand was elected President of France. He became the first Socialist to win this post under universal suffrage... |
classified as PS | 14 | |
| 1986 French legislative election, 1986 The French legislative elections took place on 16 March 1986 to elect the 8th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. Contrary to other legislative elections of the Fifth Republic, the electoral system used was that of Party-list proportional representation.Since the 1981 election of François... |
107,769 | 0.38% | 7 |
| 1988 French legislative election, 1988 French legislative elections took place on 5 June and 12 June 1988 to elect the 9th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, one month after the re-election of François Mitterrand as President of France.... |
272,316 | 1.11% | 9 |
| 1993 French legislative election, 1993 French legislative elections took place on 21 and 28 March 1993 to elect the 10th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic.Since 1988, President François Mitterrand and his Socialist cabinets had relied on a relative parliamentary majority. Without the support of the Communists, Prime minister... |
classified as PS or DVG | 6 | |
| 1997 French legislative election, 1997 French legislative election took place on 25 May and 1 June 1997 to elect the 11th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. It was the consequence of President Jacques Chirac's decision to call the legislative election one year before the deadline.... |
389,782 | 1.53% | 12 |
| 2002 French legislative election, 2002 -12th Assembly by Parliamentary Group:... |
388,891 | 1.54% | 7 |
| 2007 French legislative election, 2007 The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, a few weeks after the French presidential election run-off on 6 May. 7,639 candidates stood for 577 seats, including France's overseas possessions... |
343,565 | 1.32% | 7 |
European Parliament elections
| Election year | Number of votes | % of overall vote | # of seats won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 European Parliament election, 1979 (France) In 1979 the first direct elections to the European Parliament were held in France. Four parties were able to win seats: the centre right Union for French Democracy the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party. 61.7% of the French population turned out on... |
ran on PS list | 2 | |
| 1984 European Parliament election, 1984 (France) In 1984 the second direct elections to the European Parliament were held in France. Four parties were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party, and the Front National... |
670,474 | 3.32% | 0 |
| 1989 European Parliament election, 1989 (France) On 15 June 1989 the third direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Six lists were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, an alliance of the Socialist Party and the PRG, the French Communist... |
ran on PS list | 2 | |
| 1994 European Parliament election, 1994 (France) On 12 June 1994 the fourth direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Six lists were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre-right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party, the Left Radical Party, the French Communist... |
2,344,457 | 12.03% | 13 |
| 1999 European Parliament election, 1999 (France) On 13 June 1999 the fifth direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Once again, abstention was very high for this type of election- only 47% of eligible voters voted... |
ran on PS list | 2 | |
| 2004 European Parliament election, 2004 (France) Elections to the European Parliament were held in France on 13 June 2004. The opposition Socialist Party made substantial gains, although this was mainly at the expense of minor parties... |
121,573 | 0.71% | 0 |
| 2009 European Parliament election, 2009 (France) European elections to elect 72 French Members of the European Parliament were held on Sunday 7 June 2009.Due to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union in 2007, the number of seats allocated to France was revised from 78 seats to 72 seats, a loss of 6 seats... |
did not run for office | 0 | |
Leadership
Party presidents:- Robert FabreRobert FabreRobert Fabre was a French politician and pharmacist....
(1972–1978) - Michel CrépeauMichel CrépeauMichel Crépeau was a French centre-left politician.Born in 1930, barrister, he joined the Radical Party. When it split in 1972, he founded the Movement of Left Radicals which chosen the alliance with the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party...
(1978–1981) - Roger-Gérard SchwartzenbergRoger-Gérard SchwartzenbergRoger-Gérard Schwartzenberg is a French politician. From 1981 to 1983 he was President of the Movement of Radicals of the Left in the French Parliament.He was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques....
(1981–1983) - Jean-Michel BayletJean-Michel BayletJean-Michel Baylet is a French politician, Senator, and leader of the moderate center-left Radical Party of the Left....
(1983–1985) - François DoubinFrançois DoubinFrançois Doubin is a French politician and former cabinet minister. He is a member and former leader of the Radical Party of the Left....
(1985–1988) - Yvon CollinYvon CollinYvon Collin is a member of the Senate of France. He represents the Tarn-et-Garonne department , and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:*...
(1988–1989) - Émile ZuccarelliÉmile ZuccarelliÉmile Zuccarelli is a French politician from Corsica. He serves as honorary President of the Radical Party of the Left and mayor of Bastia. Until his defeat in the French legislative election, 2007, he was deputy for Haute-Corse.In the French regional elections, 2004, he led a PRG list in Corse,...
(1989–1992) - Jean-François Hory (1992–1996)
- Jean-Michel BayletJean-Michel BayletJean-Michel Baylet is a French politician, Senator, and leader of the moderate center-left Radical Party of the Left....
(1996–...)
See also
- Young Radicals of the LeftYoung Radicals of the LeftThe Young Radicals of the Left , are the youth organisation of the french social-liberal Radical Party of the Left...
- History of the Left in FranceHistory of the Left in FranceThe Left in France at the beginning of the 20th century was represented by two main political parties, the Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party and the French Section of the Workers' International , created in 1905 as a merger of various Marxist parties...
- Liberalism and radicalism in FranceLiberalism and radicalism in FranceLiberalism and radicalism in France do not form the same type of ideology. In fact, the main line of conflict in France during the 19th century was between monarchist opponents of the Republic and supporters of the Republic...
- SinistrismeSinistrismeSinistrisme is a neologism invented by Albert Thibaudet in Les idées politiques de la France . He referred to the progressive substitution of left wing parties by new, more radical parties, which in turn pushed each party towards the center Sinistrisme is a neologism invented by Albert Thibaudet in...