La République En Marche!

La République En Marche! was a major French political movement that fundamentally reshaped the nation's political landscape in the late 2010s. Founded by former Minister of the Economy Emmanuel Macron, it served as the vehicle for his successful 2017 presidential campaign against Marine Le Pen of the National Rally. The movement aimed to transcend the traditional left-right divide in French politics, advocating for a pro-business, pro-European Union platform that led to its rebranding as Renaissance in 2022.

History and formation

The movement was officially launched on 6 April 2016 in Amiens, the hometown of its founder, Emmanuel Macron. Macron, a former investment banker at Rothschild & Co and minister under President François Hollande, created it after leaving the Socialist Party government. Its formation was a direct challenge to the established parties like The Republicans and the Socialist Party, capitalizing on widespread disillusionment following Hollande's presidency. The movement's name, meaning "The Republic On the Move!", symbolized a break from the past, and it quickly attracted defectors from across the political spectrum, including figures like Richard Ferrand and Édouard Philippe. Its first major electoral test was the 2017 French presidential election, where Macron defeated Marine Le Pen in the runoff, followed by a landslide victory in the 2017 French legislative election.

Political platform and ideology

Ideologically, it positioned itself as a centrist and liberal force, explicitly rejecting the traditional left-right cleavage of the French Fifth Republic. Its core tenets were staunch pro-Europeanism, support for deeper European integration, and economic modernization through policies like labor market reforms exemplified by the *Loi Travail* ordinances. The platform advocated for a blend of supply-side measures to stimulate business investment and certain socially liberal policies, aiming to combine fiscal responsibility with progressive social change. This "Macronist" doctrine sought to navigate between the economic liberalism of The Republicans and the social democratic traditions of the Socialist Party, while firmly opposing the Euroscepticism of the National Rally and the La France Insoumise movement.

Electoral performance and government participation

The movement achieved a dramatic electoral breakthrough in 2017. After Emmanuel Macron won the presidency, it secured an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly during the snap legislative elections, winning 308 seats. This allowed the formation of governments under Prime Ministers Édouard Philippe and later Jean Castex, which implemented significant reforms like the transformation of the SNCF and tax cuts for capital. In the 2019 European elections, its list, led by Nathalie Loiseau, finished a close second behind the National Rally. However, its support declined in subsequent local elections, such as the 2020 municipal elections and the 2021 regional elections, where it often failed to gain significant traction against established local parties.

Leadership and organization

Emmanuel Macron was the movement's founding president and remained its de facto leader throughout its existence, even after his election as President of France required him to adopt a stance of official neutrality. Day-to-day leadership was managed by a succession of delegated secretary-generals, including Richard Ferrand, Christophe Castaner, and Stanislas Guerini. Structurally, it was designed as a lightweight, centralized organization rather than a traditional mass-membership party, relying heavily on Macron's personal appeal and a network of local committees. Key allied figures in the National Assembly included Aurore Bergé and Gilles Le Gendre, who served as group presidents. The movement was part of the broader La République En Marche! group in parliament and was affiliated with the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament.

Controversies and criticism

The movement faced significant criticism and controversy throughout its existence. Opponents from both the left, such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise, and the right, including Marine Le Pen, derided it as the "party of the rich" or a vehicle for *droitisme* (right-wing policies). It was frequently accused of being a top-down, "vertical" organization with a democratic deficit, overly dependent on the figure of Emmanuel Macron. Several prominent members were embroiled in scandals; for instance, Richard Ferrand was investigated in the *Mutuelles de Bretagne* affair, and Mounir Mahjoubi faced allegations regarding consulting contracts. Its use of the Élysée Palace for political meetings and the high-profile Benalla affair involving a presidential security aide further fueled accusations of arrogance and blurred ethical lines between the state and the movement.

Category:Political parties in France Category:Centrist parties in Europe Category:Political parties established in 2016 Category:Political parties disestablished in 2022