Independent Republicans

French political party founded in 1966

The Independent Republicans (, RI) were a liberal conservative political group in France founded in 1962, which became a political party in 1966 known as the National Federation of the Independent Republicans (Fédération nationale des républicains et indépendants, FNRI). Its leader was Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. In 1977 it became the Republican Party which joined the Union for French Democracy (UDF) the following year.

The Independent Republicans came from the liberal conservative National Centre of Independents and Peasants (CNIP). In 1962, the CNIP chose to leave Charles de Gaulle's coalition due to his Euroscepticism and the presidential of the regime. But, the CNIP ministers refused to leave the cabinet and the "presidential majority". Under the leadership of the Minister of Economy and Finances Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, they created the group of the Independent Republicans. It was the small partner of the Gaullists which tried to influence the executive's policy in favour of economic liberalism and European federalism. The relation with the Gaullists tensed when Giscard was dismissed from the cabinet in 1966. The group became a political party, the National Federation of the Independent Republicans (FNRI), directed by the general secretary Michel Poniatowski. Giscard defined the Independent Republicans as "liberal, centrist and pro European". It stood in the parliamentary majority, but chosen a critical attitude. Giscard summed up his opinion about the Gaullist policy by a "yes, but ". In 1969, the party divided about the referendum of regionalisation and Senate's reform. Giscard called to vote "no". President de Gaulle resigned when the "no" won. The FNRI supported the winning candidacy of Georges Pompidou for the presidency and its leader re integrated the cabinet as Economy Minister. In 1974, after President Pompidou's death, Giscard announced his candidacy at the 1974 presidential election. It was supported by the FNRI, the Reform Movement and, covertly, by some Gaullists. He eliminated Gaullist Jacques Chaban Delmas in the first round and then defeated Socialist François Mitterrand in the run off. Three years later, the FNRI was replaced by the Republican Party (PR) which became the liberal conservative wing of the Union for French Democracy (UDF) created in 1978.

Election Candidate First round Second round Result Votes % Votes % 1974 Valéry Giscard d'Estaing 8,326,774 32.60 13,396,203 50.81

Election Leader 1st round 2nd round Seats +/− Government Votes % Votes % 1962 Valéry Giscard d'Estaing 1,089,348 5.94 1,444,666 9.46 27 1967 8,448,082 37.73 7,972,908 42.60 15 1968 9,667,532 43.65 6,762,170 46.39 19 1973 8,242,661 34.68 10,701,135 45.62 6