Radical party valoisien

The Radical party known as “ valoisien ” is oldest Political party French, official continuation of the historical Radical party following the scission occurred in 1971.

History

The structuring of radicalism in XIXe century

The Radical party finds its origins in the rows of the republicans to the XIXe century where it was often located at the Extreme left of the political chessboard. Its political philosophy will be throughout its history strongly influenced by the Franc-maçonnerie of which will be members several of the radical political figures.

Under the Monarchy of July

In 1843, under the Monarchy of July, it are grouped around Alexandre Ledru-Rollin and will take part in the advent of the IIe République. They will support the great reforms of 1848: introduction of the Vote for all, Abolition of slavery, Freedom of the press, right of meeting.

Under the Second Empire

The radicals are opposed to the mode Napoleon III and find a leader, in 1868, the person of Leon Gambetta (which published in 1863 the radical Policy , collection of speech which synthesizes the radical doctrines). Their “program”, which shapes in a speech of Gambetta, the “Programme of Belleville” pronounced in 1869, is centered primarily on a re-establishment of the Public freedoms and a democratization passing by a return by the vote for all (the Empire having set up an official system of candidature).

1870-1901

In 1870, Gambetta proclaims the Republic with Versailles after the defeat of the Empire vis-a-vis the Prussia. The radicals will have however to compose with the monarchists orleanists (Adolphe Thiers, Mac-Mahon) and the republicans Modérés, who will be hoisted with the head of France following the legislative elections. Indeed, radicalism is felt as a current of thought too progressist by the voters of the rural areas which prefer a moderate monarchy to him guarantor in their eyes of a greater political stability.

The IIIe Republic installed definitively since 1884, the radicals will particularly incarnate the Anti-cléricalisme and the opposition to the colonial expansion of France. Georges Clémenceau and always, Leon Gambetta, is the most outstanding figures.

With the turning of the century, the radicals are strongly influenced by the Solidarisme of Leon Bourgeois. Politically this theory positions them on a requirement of a better justice and a better social equality. Concretely the radicals militate for the creation of a Social security, a Income tax allowing a redistribution between the easy and poor layers of the company and a social advancement ensured by the state education.

The creation of the Party and its role under IIIe Republic

Created June 21st, 22nd and 23rd 1901, the Radical party is thus founded before even the adoption of the laws of July 1901 on the right of association.

Following its success with the legislative elections of 1902, it becomes the party " pivot" IIIe Republic and will be on the initiative of several great reforms:

During the First World War, the Georges Clémenceau radical leads the country to the Victoire.

Defense of the Republic to anchoring on the left

In 1927, Edouard Daladier succeeds Edouard Herriot with the head of the party. Leader of the left wing of the party it will support the alliance of the radicals to the other forces of progress (socialist of SFIO in particular) within the Cartel of the lefts, then Popular front of 1936 in which the radicals become minority vis-a-vis the electoral success of the SFIO. Jean Zay will be the radical minister of Leon Blum, in load of the state education of which it will engage a deep reform to make it more democratic and modern.

The Thirties will be also those of the arrival of the “Young Turks” among whom one can quote: Pierre Mendès France, Jean Zay, Pierre Cot, Jacques Kayser and Emile Rock.

The Second world war

Several radicals will engage in the Résistance, the first of which Jean Moulin, but also Jean Zay, Pierre Mendès-France, Henri Queuille, Paul Anxionnaz, Rene Mayer and Rene Cassin, future writer of the Universal declaration of the human rights.

Under IVe Republic

The Radical party takes again its role of political training " pivot" , even if it are quickly competed with by MRP, new center formation , and the SFIO which remains the principal training of the left not-Communist. He thus decides to constitute the Rassemblement of the Republican lefts with several moderate establishments and liberal (UDSR, democratic Alliance)…

He will support the European Construction and will support a Décolonisation reasoned and progressive. In spite of personalities like Henri Queuille, Edgar Faure, Strong Felix or Pierre Mendès-France, the party is somewhat marginalized on the political chessboard and will know strong internal dissensions, between its left wing and its wing " centriste" who approaches more and more the parties of center-right.

Under Ve Republic, the evolution towards the center-right

The Ve République will be fatal electorally for the Radical party which will know a strong retreat with the legislative elections, after being ardently opposite with the return to the capacity of the Général de Gaulle and with the adoption of the news constitution. At the conclusion of the legislative of 1958, it obtains 13 elected officials (members of the group of the Administrative Formation of the Independents then group of the democratic Entente). May 27th, 1959, Jean Berthoin, Minister of Interior Department, resigns of the Gouvernement Michel Debré: the Radical party is not represented any more with the government. At the time of the legislative elections of 1962, the Radical party takes part in the " trust of the non" and obtains 23 elected officials (member of the democratic Rassemblement). Between 1965 and 1968, it takes part, with the SFIO, with the Fédération of the Democratic and Socialist Left (FGDS). Its positioning de facto in the center, its tradition of left, its inclination on the right, make it not very readable for the voters whose votes are organized from now on in two quite distinct blocks: on the right around the gaullists, and on the left around the Socialists and of the communist . Pierre Mendès France, after its failure to maintain the party on the left and its " déconvenue" with the presidential election of 1969 (within the " ticket" that it had constituted with Gaston Defferre which does not pass the 1er turn of the poll), moves away definitively from the party to join the rows of the future Socialist party. May 7th, 1969, the executive committee votes the support for Alain Poher (Democratic Center) for the presidential election. Pursued by the Communist Jacques Duclos with the first turn, the president of the Republic by interim will be clearly beaten by Georges Pompidou at the conclusion of the second turn.

1970-1979: the scission and a relative resurrection

In 1971, the Party knows a new dash with the arrival at its head, on October 29th, 1969, of Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber (often called JJSS), impassioned by the model of the the United States and which, although man of the left, will be the craftsman of the passage to the center-right of the party. In 1971, the party knows a scission with the creation of the Mouvement of the radical lefts by a minority tendency wishing to adhere to the common Programme, and which will support an single-candidate election of the left later, that of François Mitterrand, for the presidential election of 1974.

It is starting from this date that is assistant in the name of the Radical party the qualitative one of " valoisien" (coming from the Place of Valois where its national headquarter is located) to distinguish it from the MRG. In 1973, the Radical party is combined to the centrists resulting from MRP of Jean Lecanuet within the reforming Mouvement. Opposed to an electoral alliance with the Communists but always anti-gaullistes, the radicals will accompany the principal reforms sociétales by the presidency of Valery Giscard d'Estaing (authorization of the contraceptive pill, recognition of the Women's right ) and will claim a new territorial organization of France to the profit of the local authorities.

This new dynamics impelled by " JJSS" thanks to its victory surprised in 1970 against a deputy gaullist, will be completed however by a failure, this last knowing several successive electoral reverses (less than 2% with the European elections of 1979).

Integration in UDF

The party then owes the maintenance of its influence with its participation in the creation of the UDF, initiated by Valery Giscard d'Estaing in 1978. It becomes about it one of the six components at the sides of the centrists of the Center of the social democrats, of the liberals of the Republican party and the National federation of the Clubs Prospects & Réalités, of the social democrats of the Mouvement democrat-Socialist and the direct Adhérents.

Through UDF, the Radical party will take part in all the governments resulting from majorities RPR /UDF.

Association with UMP

In 1998, UDF knows an important scission with the departure of liberal Démocratie (republican ex-Party), following the regional elections which saw constituting alliances between the National front and certain members of DLL. The Radical party remains member of UDF at the sides of the centrists of democratic Force who amalgamate shortly after with the direct members and several other center small parts members of the formation. This internal fusion marginalizes the Radical party of which several persons in charge take their distances with respect to the national management of UDF carried out by Francois Bayrou and its line having for ambition to constitute a center force independent of the right-hand side and left. This progressive “divorce” will appear at the time of the presidential election of 2002 for which the Radical party will support as of the first tower the candidature of Jacques Chirac, whereas Francois Bayrou presents himself under the banner of UDF.

The majority of the radicals thus take part naturally in the creation of the UMP following the re-election of Jacques Chirac. The Radical party then leaves UDF to sign an agreement of association with UMP. It remains a party of full exercise, but its financings are primarily made up of subsidies poured by the UMP with which adhesion is from now on common. The party is then directed by Jean-Louis Borloo and André Rossinot. Then, since November 2007, by Jean-Louis Borloo.

---- to also see: Republican party, radical and radical socialist

Denomination

In 1971, a minority part of the radicals made scission to join the common Programme and to found what is the Radical left party today (PRG).

The name of the party radical socialist " maintenu" refers to the Place of Valois (with Paris, 1er district), where the historical seat of the party is (with number 1). This “ Radical party valoisien ” holds the property of the complete name of the Radical party (only mentioned today on a small plate) historical, which is Republican party, radical and radical socialist and who was preserved well after the scission on the lintel of the entry of the seat. It is reality the legal continuation, although the radicals valoisiens lost the practice, since 1981, to use the " term; socialiste" who does not appear about it less always in their denomination.

Political positioning

Near to the center, it was combined with the right . It was a long time one of the components of the UDF before integrating the UMP. It differed from other components of UDF like liberal Démocratie by refusing any negociation with the National front. The Radical party is also an enthusiastic defender of the Laïcité.

There exists also the movement of young people of the Radical party: Young Radicals.

Within UMP

The Radical party proves to be a “satellite” party of UMP. Indeed, UMP finances a major part of the Party. During the creation of UMP, the Radical party valoisien adhered to UMP as a moral person, as during the fusion of the UDF of 2001 outcome to the creation of the UDF News of Francois Bayrou. The people adhering to the Radical party are consequently members of UMP. That makes it possible the Radical party to preserve the direct link with its members, the contributions and its legal personality distinct from UMP.

Combined, in fact, of UMP, the Radical party valoisien wishes a " political progressist who preaches the equal opportunity, the Laïcité and the respect of the human values " , according to the words of Jean-Louis Borloo.

The bringing together with the Radical lefts

The Jeunes Radicals call regularly with the “reunification” of the Radical party and the Radical left party, since dividing the same base of republican values and European. In September 2007, the two branches of French radicalism hold their summer school with an exchange of delegation (that of the PRG with Nancy at the valoisiens and that of the PRV with Ramatuelle at their counterparts of left).

On November 16th and 17th 2007, the 108ième congress of the Radical party takes place: the leaders of the two parties speak openly about bringing together to occupy the center of the French political life. A plain radical force would compete with in fact the Modem and the Nouveau center. Eric Besson (and the Progressists) is declared also near to radicalism and Jean-Louis Borloo. Michel Zumkeller concourre with the presidency with Borloo. The radicals of the 2 edges go floor on 3 great work groups (Europe, Laicité and sustainable development).

Current political program

  • To accelerate the adaptation of the School to the modern world and to reinforce the devices with assistance to the students in difficulty;

  • To reduce the cost of the State and to center it on its kingly missions in order to face the stakes of the world;
  • To start again the social dialog and to organize solidarity between the generations;
  • To engage the tax reform which will support the desire for undertaking and for increasing the autonomy of the local government agencies;
  • To return to the citizens safety to the daily newspaper;
  • To give to Defense the means of taking up its new duties vis-a-vis international terrorism;
  • To integrate the Mediterranean south into the European project by the union of the european companies and the companies of the countries of North Africa;
  • To create a European Citizenship and a federation of the nations in Europe.

Members

Among his leaders, one can quote André Rossinot, former copresident of the party and mayor of Nancy, but also Jean-Louis Borloo, president and Minister for the Gouvernement Francois Fillon (2). Among the heavy trucks of the party one counts also Nancy the Laurent Hénart, of Strasbourg the François Loos, the President of the democratic and social Rassemblement European with the Senate Pierre Laffitte, Jean Leonetti, Dominique Paillé, Michel Thiollière, Michel Zumkeller.

Among its former leaders: Olivier Stirn, Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, Didier Bariani, Yves Galland, Thierry Cornillet (these last three having remained in UDF)…

The Radical party currently counts 17 deputies (registered with the UMP group), 5 senators (registered with the group of RDSE, gathering radical valoisiens and radical lefts), 2 senators registered with the UMP group (Jean-Paul Alduy and Pierre Jarlier) and 1 European deputy (registered with the group of the EPP). One also counts 1 radical minister (Jean Louis Borloo)

It is in 2005 that the Radical party knew several rallyings of former centrists (Renaud Dutreil, Francoise Hostalier) and gaullists (Serge Lepeltier) who seek there, seems it, a less liberal space of expression and less sarkozyste that within the UMP.

The party asserts 10.000 members in 2007 (including 2000 in the young people) Thanks to the reform of the statutes of this party (voted by the 350 members of the executive committee), they will be able to élir for 3 years a President (renewable once) as from 2009. Currently the president is elected by the 1400 delegated party.

The radical party introduced 37 candidates to legislative June 2007: 6 were elected as of the first turn and 17 radical deputies sit finally at the assembly at the conclusion of the second turn. Since May 2007, the presidents of the two radical parties evoke a bringing together or a return to the dialog.

History of the presidents

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • Official site

  • Official site of the Radical party of the Area Ile de France
  • Support group in Jean-Louis Borloo for Matignon 2007

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