The Progressives is a social-democratic

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...

 French political party associated to the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement

Union for a Popular Movement

The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...

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Its was founded in September 2007 by Éric Besson

Éric Besson

Éric Besson is a French politician and Minister of Industry, Energy and the Digital economy under the Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry, Christine Lagarde...

, Secretary of State in François Fillon

François Fillon

François Charles Armand Fillon is the Prime Minister of France. He was appointed to that office by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007. He served initially until 13 November 2010 when he resigned from being prime minister before a planned cabinet reshuffle.On 14 November 2010, Sarkozy...

's government and former member 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...

, Emmanuel Dupuy, President of the Union of Radical Republicans and Marc d'Héré, President of European and Social Initiative, aiming at creating a left wing for the presidential majority within the framework of the 'ouverture' http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYCsBFDxI4SZr_P-lmxYEyP6Fvkg.

Thus, The Progressives along with the Modern Left

Modern Left

The Modern Left , is a French centrist political party founded in 2007.The party was founded following the nomination of the former Socialist Senator and Mayor of Mulhouse, Jean-Marie Bockel to the François Fillon government in May 2007...

 of Jean-Marie Bockel

Jean-Marie Bockel

Jean-Marie Bockel has been Secretary of State for Defence and Veterans in the government of Prime Minister François Fillon since 18 March 2008, having previously been Secretary of State for Cooperation and La Francophonie since June 2007...

 represent the left wing of the coalition supporting President 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....

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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 obtained a few non-eligible spots on the lists of the Presidential Majority.

Since Besson is a member of the UMP's national leadership, the party is considered associated to the UMP. It is also a member of the Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority

Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority

The Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority is a structure initiated by Nicolas Sarkozy to coordinate the political parties that support his action....

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