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| Agir | |
|---|---|
| Name | Agir |
| Foundation | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Paris |
| Country | France |
Agir is a French political party founded in 2017 as a centre-right formation emerging from a split in existing conservative ranks. It positioned itself as a pro-European, reformist alternative within the landscape shaped by actors such as La République En Marche!, Les Républicains, and the broader realignment after the 2017 French presidential election. Agir sought to attract elected officials and cadres from municipal, departmental, and parliamentary levels who favored market-friendly reforms, Atlantic alliances, and European integration over nationalist or hardline conservative programs.
The party name is a single verb in French that conveys action and agency; it resonated with the branding trends used by contemporaneous movements including En Marche! and echoed slogans and rhetorical frames found in campaigns of figures like Emmanuel Macron and François Bayrou. The choice paralleled historical usages of action-oriented names in French politics such as Rassemblement pour la République and Union pour un Mouvement Populaire, and mirrored international examples like Action (Iceland) and Aktion (Germany) in the preference for concise, mobilizing titles.
Agir originated in the aftermath of the 2017 presidential and legislative cycle when elected members from Les Républicains dissatisfied with the party direction formed a new grouping in the Assemblée nationale and at local levels. Its formation involved personalities who had served under administrations connected to Nicolas Sarkozy-era networks and who later collaborated with figures associated with Emmanuel Macron and François Bayrou. Early organizational moves included coordination with centrist deputies during the legislative majority that supported policies advanced by the Macron government and engagement in debates over France’s role in the European Union, NATO, and bilateral relations with states such as Germany and the United States.
Throughout its existence, Agir participated in municipal and regional coalitions, contested by-elections, and negotiated electoral pacts with formations like La République En Marche! and various Mouvement démocrate affiliates. The party navigated tensions arising from the 2019 and 2020 policy disputes in the Assemblée nationale and responded to national crises including the Yellow Vests movement and the public health emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic by advocating measures that balanced public order, economic reopening, and civil liberties.
Agir framed itself as centre-right and liberal-conservative, advocating pro-market reforms, fiscal responsibility, and regulatory modernization in the tradition of post-Thatcherite European conservatives. It emphasized European federalist cooperation within institutions such as the European Commission and the European Parliament, favored deepened Franco-German coordination exemplified by initiatives like the Élysée Treaty discussions, and supported strong transatlantic ties via NATO frameworks. On social policy, the party tended toward socially liberal positions akin to those defended by personalities from La République En Marche! and Modem, endorsing civil liberties while prioritizing social cohesion in responses to security challenges highlighted by incidents linked to extremist violence in 2015 Paris attacks and subsequent counterterrorism legislation.
In economic policy, Agir advocated labor market flexibility and tax reforms reflecting ideas debated in forums such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and among International Monetary Fund commentators, while supporting targeted industrial policy for sectors strategic to French competitiveness like aerospace firms exemplified by Airbus and energy transitions discussed with actors including EDF. On immigration and integration, the party sought blended approaches drawing on precedents from François Fillon-era debates and centrist compromises pursued by Edouard Philippe-aligned local executives.
Agir’s organizational model combined parliamentary group coordination, local federations, and an executive bureau intended to centralize strategic decisions. Its membership included municipal councillors from cities such as Lyon, Marseille, and Bordeaux, departmental elected officials in territories like Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and deputies in the Assemblée nationale. The party maintained working relationships with think tanks and policy institutes that shaped centre-right discourse in France, similar to collaborations seen between Les Républicains and policy platforms such as Fondation pour l'Innovation Politique. Internal structures mirrored those of European counterparts with policy commissions addressing areas like taxation, security, and European affairs, and held national congresses to adopt platforms and select spokespeople.
Agir’s electoral footprint was modest but strategically clustered: participation in municipal, regional, and legislative contests produced a number of local victories and parliamentary seats obtained through alliances with La République En Marche! and other centrist lists. The party performed unevenly across regions, registering higher visibility in urban and suburban districts where centrist realignment had been pronounced since the 2017 cycle. In national legislative elections, Agir affiliated deputies often ran under broader centrist banners, contributing to majorities led by Emmanuel Macron rather than contesting as an independent mass party. Its role in coalition politics resembled small pro-European groupings across European parliamentary systems that punch above their weight through coalition bargaining.
Notable members included former Les Républicains elected officials who moved to the new formation, parliamentary deputies, and municipal executives from major French cities. Some figures had previously held ministerial posts or senior positions in regional administrations associated with leaders such as Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande critics, and centrist allies of Emmanuel Macron. The membership roster featured individuals active in debates on European affairs, defense posture within NATO, and economic reform programs connected to policy discussions at institutions like the OECD.
Critics accused Agir of fragmenting the centre-right and enabling the decline of established parties such as Les Républicains by facilitating defections and electoral pacts with La République En Marche!. Commentators compared its trajectory to other intra-right schisms observed during the post-2017 realignment, and opponents on the left and the right questioned its consistency on issues like security policies post-Charlie Hebdo shooting and economic liberalization proposals debated in the Assemblée nationale. The party also faced scrutiny over local electoral agreements perceived as opportunistic in regions where competition with parties such as Rassemblement National intensified.