List of political parties in France Facts for Kids

France has many different political parties. This means that no single party usually has enough power to run the country alone. Instead, parties often work together. They form groups called alliances or coalitions to win elections and govern.

Sometimes, even within one political party, there are different groups or ideas. This is like a team where everyone agrees on the main goal, but they have different ideas on how to reach it.

For a long time, two main groups of parties took turns running France:

On the centre-left, there was a group led by the Socialist Party. Smaller parties like The Greens often joined them.
On the centre-right, there was a group led by The Republicans.

Things changed in the 2017 presidential election. A new leader, Emmanuel Macron, from a centrist party called La République En Marche! (now known as Renaissance), won the election. This was a big deal because it was the first time a party outside the two main groups won. He won again in the 2022 election.

In recent years, the National Rally (which used to be called the National Front) has also become a very important party. They have done well in European and local elections.

Main Political Parties in France
Other Important Parties
Parties in French Overseas Territories
See also

Main Political Parties in France

France has several important political parties. Here are some of the biggest ones:

Renaissance

Renaissance (RE) is a centre party. It was founded by Emmanuel Macron. This party believes in liberal ideas, which often means focusing on individual freedoms and economic growth. They currently have a lot of members in the French Parliament.

The Republicans

The Republicans (LR) is a centre-right to right-wing party. They focus on conservative ideas, which means they often want to keep traditional values and be careful with changes. They have many members in the Senate, which is another part of the French Parliament.

National Rally

The National Rally (RN) is a right-wing to far-right party. Their leader is Jordan Bardella. This party is known for its populist ideas, which means they often try to appeal directly to ordinary people by talking about common concerns. They have a strong presence in the French Parliament and the European Parliament.

Socialist Party

The Socialist Party (PS) is a centre-left party. They believe in social democracy, which means they support a strong government role in society to help people and ensure fairness. They used to be one of the two main parties in France.

La France Insoumise

La France Insoumise (FI) is a left-wing to far-left party. They are led by Manuel Bompard. This party focuses on left-wing populist ideas, often speaking out against big businesses and supporting social justice. They are a significant force on the left side of French politics.

Other Important Parties

Besides the main parties, many other parties play a role in French politics. They often join bigger groups or coalitions to have more influence.

Democratic Movement (MoDem): This is a centre to centre-right party that often works with Renaissance. They support liberal and Christian democratic ideas.
Horizons: Another centre-right party that is part of the "Ensemble" coalition with Renaissance.
Left Party (PG): A left-wing party that is part of the NUPES coalition, which brings together many left-wing groups.
The Ecologists (LÉ): This party focuses on environmental issues. They are also part of the NUPES coalition.
French Communist Party (PCF): A left-wing to far-left party that believes in communist ideas. They are part of the NUPES coalition.
Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI): A centre to centre-right party that supports centrist and Christian democratic ideas.

Parties in French Overseas Territories

France has many overseas territories around the world. These places also have their own political parties, which often focus on local issues and their relationship with mainland France. Some of these parties also have representatives in the French Parliament.

For example:

In Corsica, there is Femu a Corsica, a centre party that supports more self-rule for Corsica.
In New Caledonia, Caledonia Together is a centre-right party that wants New Caledonia to remain part of France.
In French Polynesia, Tapura Huiraatira is a centre-right party that also supports autonomy but not full independence.
In Guadeloupe, United Guadeloupe, Solidary and Responsible is a centre-left party.
In Réunion, For Réunion is a left-wing party.

These regional parties show how diverse French politics can be, with different ideas and goals across all its territories.

List of political parties in France facts for kids

Contents