Movement for France

The Movement for France (), abbreviated to MPF, is a French conservative and eurosceptic political party, founded on 20 November 1994, with a marked regional stronghold in the Vendée. It is led by Philippe de Villiers, once communications minister under Jacques Chirac.

The party is considered Eurosceptic, though not to the extent of seeking to secede from the Union. In this way it contrasts with some other mainstream eurosceptic parties such as the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). The MPF resists increases in European integration and campaigned for a "no" vote in the 2005 referendum on the European constitution.

It is also strongly opposed to the possible admission of Turkey into the European Union and to what it sees as the Islamisation of France.

The party is a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential majority, which gathers the allies of the ruling party Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

History

Founded in 1994, the party nominated Philippe de Villiers as candidate in the 1995 presidential election. He obtained over a million votes and 4.74% of the popular vote, but failed to pass 5%.

In the 1997 legislative election, the MPF joined forces with the National Centre of Independents and Peasants as La Droite Indépendante (LDI). Philippe de Villiers was re-elected, as was one of his allies, who nonetheless left the party soon thereafter.

It contested the 1999 European Parliamentary elections in alliance with the Rassemblement pour la France (RPF)...
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