2012 Union for a Popular Movement leadership election

The 2012 leadership election of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), a political party in France was held on 18 November 2012. It renewed the leadership structures of the UMP following Nicolas Sarkozy's defeat in the 2012 presidential election and the party's defeat in the subsequent legislative election. The disputed results led to the first open crisis in the UMP since its creation in 2002.

Union for a Popular Movement leadership election
18 November 2012 (2012-11-18)
 
Candidate Jean-François Copé François Fillon
Popular vote 86,911 85,959
Percentage 50.28 % 49.72 %
President before election

None
Nicolas Sarkozy
(Last President)

 Elected President

Jean-François Copé

Incumbent General Secretary Jean-François Copé defeated former Prime Minister François Fillon.

Organization

While the UMP's two previous congresses in 2002 and 2004 had been held at the Bourget, there was no physical congress organized in 2012 and the congress was decentralized in each departmental federation of the UMP.

Presidency of the UMP

Nicolas Sarkozy was the UMP's last president, between 2004 and 2007. Following his election to the presidency of France in 2007, the UMP modified its statutes to create a collegial presidency led by a secretary-general during the duration of his term in office. His defeat meant that the UMP needed to hold a new presidential election.

Candidates seeking to run for the party presidency needed to win the endorsements of at least 3% of party members (as of 30 June 2012), or 7,924 members, from at least 10 different departmental federations. Each candidate created a "ticket" with two other party members for the offices of vice-president and secretary-general of the UMP.

Candidacies, including all endorsements, were due before 18 September 2012.[1]

Presidential candidates
Name, age Details and notes
Jean-François Copé (56)
  • Secretary-general of the UMP (since 2010)
  • Mayor of Meaux (1995-2002, 2005–present)
  • Deputy for the Seine-et-Marne's 6th constituency (2002, 2007–present)
  • President of the UMP Group in the French National Assembly (2007-2010)
  • Spokesperson of the Government of France (2002-2007)
  • Junior Minister of the Budget (2004-2007)
  • Junior Minister of the Interior (2004)
  • Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament (2002-2004)
  • Deputy for the Seine-et-Marne's 5th constituency (1995-1997)
  • Candidate for Vice President: Luc Chatel (48 years old), mayor of Chaumont, deputy for Haute-Marne's 1st constituency and former cabinet minister
  • Candidate for Secretary-General: Michèle Tabarot (49 years old), mayor of Le Cannet and deputy for the Alpes-Maritimes's 1st constituency
François Fillon
(66)
  • Deputy for Paris's 2nd constituency (2012–present)
  • Former Prime Minister (2007-2012)
  • Deputy for the Sarthe's 4th constituency (1981-1993, 1997-2002, 2002, 2007, 2012)
  • Minister of the Environment, Sustainable Development, Transportation and Housing (2012)
  • Senator for the Sarthe (2005-2007)
  • Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research (2004-2005)
  • Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Solidarity (2002-2004)
  • President of the Regional Council of the Pays de la Loire (1998-2002)
  • Mayor of Sablé-sur-Sarthe (1983-2001)
  • President of the General Council of the Sarthe (1992-1998)
  • Junior Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Space (1995-1997)
  • Minister of Information Technologies and Posts (1995)
  • Minister of Higher Education and Research (1993-1995)
  • Candidate for Vice President: Laurent Wauquiez (37 years old), mayor of Le Puy-en-Velay, deputy for Haute-Loire's 1st constituency and former cabinet minister
  • Candidate for Secretary-General: Valérie Pécresse (45 years old), deputy for the Yvelines's 2nd constituency and former cabinet minister

Unsuccessful presidential candidates
  • Henri Guaino, deputy of the Yvelines's 3rd constituency, declared his candidacy on 3 September.[11]
  • Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, mayor of Longjumeau, deputy for the Essonne's 4th constituency and former cabinet minister, announced that she had about 7000 endorsements as of 18 September and criticized the candidacy requirements.
  • Bruno Le Maire, deputy for the Eure's 1st constituency and former cabinet minister, also claimed around 7200 endorsements on 18 September.
  • Julien Amador,[12] Dominique Hamdad-Vitré,[13] Philippe Herlin[14] and Jean-Michel Simonian,[15] grassroots party members could never hope to win the required endorsements.

Dropped out
  • François Baroin, mayor of Troyes, deputy for the Aube's 3rd constituency and former cabinet minister did not, ultimately, run and endorsed Fillon.[16]
  • Xavier Bertrand, mayor Saint-Quentin, deputy for the Aisne's 2nd constituency and former cabinet minister announced that he was dropping out onf 16 September although he claimed 8200 endorsements. He claimed he was dropping out to run in the 2016 primaries which will nominate the party's candidate in the 2017 presidential election.
  • Dominique Dord, mayor of Aix-les-Bains, deputy for the Savoie's 1st constituency and treasurer of the UMP announced his candidacy in July 2012 but dropped out on 22 August 2012, lacking endorsements.[17]
  • Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice, deputy for the Alpes-Maritimes' 5th constituency and formed cabinet minister. He dropped out in September 2012 and endorsed Fillon.
  • Alain Juppé, mayor of Bordeaux, former president of the UMP (2002-2004) and former Prime Minister (1995-1997) was seen as a compromise candidate to prevent a Copé-Fillon battle.[18] In July 2012 he announced that he would not run if Jean-François Copé and François Fillon ran and that he would not endorse any candidate.[19]

Movements

The UMP's original statutes in 2002 allowed for the organization of formal factions or movements within the party, to represent the various political families of which it was made up. However, fearing leadership rivalries and divisions, Juppé, Chirac and later Sarkozy 'postponed' the creation of such organized movements indefinitely. Nevertheless, prior to the organizations of formal "movements" in November 2012, there existed informal groupings of like-minded members, either through associations, political clubs, associated political parties or even informal factions.

Prior to Sarkozy's defeat on 6 May, the UMP's secretary-general Jean-François Copé announced that he supported the creation of internal "movements" within the party[20] and the organization of primaries for the next presidential election.[21]

Jean-François Copé allowed for the organization of formal movements within the party following the congress. According to the party's statutes, motions backed by at least 10 parliamentarians from 10 departmental federations and which obtain at least 10% support from members at a congress are recognized as movements. They are granted financial autonomy by way of a fixed grant and additional funding in proportion to the votes they obtained; but the sum of funds transferred by the party to its movements can be no larger than 30% of the annual public subsidies the UMP receives from the state.[22]

Valid motions (declarations of principles)

Six motions representing various ideological tendencies within the party ran to be recognized as official movements following the November 2012 congress.

Charter of Values

Members were also called to approve or reject amendments to the party's charter of values.[23]

Campaign

The campaign between Fillon and Copé lasted two months. Fillon had a strong lead in polls of UMP 'sympathizers' (as opposed to actual members, who would be the only eligible voters) and was backed by most UMP parliamentarians[24] while Copé claimed he was the candidate of party activists rather than party 'barons'.[25] However, Copé remained as secretary-general and retained control of the party machinery.[26]

While Fillon's campaign was regarded as more consensual, moderate and centre-right; Copé campaigned as the candidate of the droite décomplexée ('uninhibited right')[27] and introduced issues such as anti-white racism.[28] However, both candidates received support from moderate and conservative members of the party and their main differences were in rhetoric, style and temperament.[29] Copé, again, appeared more militant and activist, saying that he would support and participate in street demonstrations[30] while Fillon disagreed with his rival.[31]

Results

COCOE results

The vote on 18 November saw high turnout but was quickly marred by allegations of irregularities and potential fraud on both sides.[32] Both candidates proclaimed victory within 20 minutes of each other on the night of the vote.[33]

24 hours later, the control commission in charge of the vote (COCOE) announced Copé's victory by only 98 votes.[34]

UMP leadership election results (COCOE, 19 November)[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
UMP Jean-François Copé / Luc Chatel and Michèle Tabarot 87 388 50.03
UMP François Fillon / Laurent Wauquiez and Valérie Pécresse 87 290 49.97
Total votes 174 678 100.00
Turnout 176 608 54.35

While Fillon initially conceded defeat, by 21 November his campaign claimed victory anew, with a 26-vote advantage over Copé.[36] Fillon's campaign argued that the COCOE had failed to take into account votes cast in three overseas federations.

CONARE/CNR results

Alain Juppé accepted to lead a mediation between both candidates on 23 November,[37] but it failed within two days. Fillon's announced "precautionary seizure" of ballots cast "to protect them from tampering or alteration"[38] and threatened to take the matter to court.[39]

On 26 November, the party appeals commission (CONARE or CNR) - led by a close supporter of Copé - decided in Copé's favour and rejected Fillon's arguments.[40] The CNR voided the results in three precincts favourable to Fillon (two in Nice, the other was New Caledonia) and reintegrated the results from Mayotte and Wallis-et-Futuna.

UMP leadership election results (CNR, 26 November)[41][42]
Party Candidate Votes %
UMP Jean-François Copé / Luc Chatel and Michèle Tabarot 86 911 50.28
UMP François Fillon / Laurent Wauquiez and Valérie Pécresse 85 959 49.72
Total votes 172 870 100.00

Movements
UMP motions vote result[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
UMP The Strong Right 41 758 27.77
UMP The Social Right 32 609 21.29
UMP Modern and Humanist France 27 311 18.17
UMP Gaullism, a way forward for France 18 504 12.31
UMP The Popular Right 18 504 12.31
UMP The Box of Ideas 13 822 9.19
Total votes 150 348 100.00
Turnout 168 833 51.96

Crisis

On 27 November, 72 filloniste parliamentarians in the National Assembly announced the creation of a new parliamentary group, the Rassemblement-UMP, led by Fillon.[43] Copé took up former President Nicolas Sarkozy's proposal of organizing a referendum on a revote, but he saw the creation of the dissident filloniste group as a casus belli and took back his proposal. Luc Chatel, the new vice-president and a Copé supporter, later announced that he supported a new presidential vote and a modification of party statutes.[44] The next day, Copé announced that he favoured organizing a referendum the modification of party statutes and a reduction of his own term as president to two years (until November 2014); while Fillon welcomed the "consensus on the organization of a new election" he rejected his rival's timeline and called for a new election before 2014.[45] 'Unaligned' members of the UMP led by Bruno Le Maire and Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet appealed for the organization of a new election in the spring of 2013 and a reform of the party statutes.[46]

Resolution

Both rivals reached an agreement at the end of December 2012,[47] with Copé agreeing to the organization of a new election and a modification of party statutes while Fillon agreed to dissolve his parliamentary group.

The party's leadership was reorganized in January 2013 to accommodate Copé and Fillon's supporters: Laurent Wauquiez and Valérie Pécresse joined Luc Chatel and Michèle Tabarot as vice-president and secretary-general respectively. Christian Estrosi, Gérard Longuet, Henri de Raincourt (pro-Fillon), Jean-Claude Gaudin, Brice Hortefeux and Roger Karoutchi (pro-Copé) also became vice-presidents. Other positions in the party hierarchy were divided between supporters of both candidates.[48] New leaders were also nominated in February 2013.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-30. Retrieved 2013-03-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. « Loyal », Hortefeux rallie Copé, Le Figaro, 21/10/2012
  3. Geoffroy Didier soutient Copé, Le Figaro, 07/10/2012
  4. Guillaume Peltier : « Copé est un homme de rassemblement », Le Figaro, 06/11/2012
  5. Jean Sarkozy officialise son soutien à Jean-François Copé, Le Figaro, 05/11/2012
  6. Présidence de l'UMP : Accoyer vote Fillon, Le Point, 28/10/2012
  7. Benoist Apparu soutient François Fillon, Le Point, 27/10/2012
  8. UMP : Xavier Bertrand se rallie à François Fillon, Le Figaro, 26/10/2012
  9. UMP : Douillet n'a pas aimé les petites phrases de Copé, Le Point, 10/10/2012
  10. Présidence UMP : Myard choisit Fillon, Le Figaro, 28/10/2012
  11. "UMP : Guaino, un candidat sarkozyste sévère avec Fillon". Le Monde. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  12. "Julien Amador, le troisième inconnu de la campagne à l'UMP". Lelab.europe1.fr. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  13. "Dominique Hamdad-Vitré : le militant anti "tête d'affiche"". Lalab.europe1.fr. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  14. "Philippe Herlin, le libéral-conservateur passé par le FN". Lalab.europe1.fr. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  15. Jean-Michel SIMONIAN ex -Candidat à la présidence de l'UMP, Planète UMP, 3 September 2012
  16. Baroin "a priori" pas candidat 20minutes.fr
  17. "Le trésorier de l'UMP soutient François Fillon". Lefigaro.fr. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  18. "Alain Juppé tente d'arrêter le duel Fillon-Copé". Libération.fr. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  19. Juppé ne briguera pas la tête de l'UMP si Copé et Fillon se lancent dans la bagarre Le Point
  20. « Copé : “Je proposerai de créer des mouvements à l'UMP” », Le Figaro, 2 May 2012
  21. Primaires 2017 : "Une évidence" (Copé), Le Figaro, 4 May 2012
  22. Articles 15 à 18 des statuts de l'UMP Archived April 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  24. Fillon / Copé : le match de la présidence de l'UMP en chiffres Le Huffington Post 02/10/2012
  25. Jean-François Copé se pose en défenseur des militants UMP L'Express, 09/09/2012
  26. UMP: pendant la campagne, Copé reste secrétaire généralL'Express, 29/08/2012
  27. UMP : le projet économique « décomplexé » de Copé Archived 2012-11-11 at the Wayback Machine Les Echos, 03/10/2012
  28. Copé dénonce l'existence d'un «racisme anti-Blanc» Le Figaro, 26/09/2012
  29. Copé-Fillon : ce qui les sépare Le Figaro, 26/10/2012
  30. Présidence de l'UMP : Copé envisagerait d'appeler à manifester contre l'exécutif Le Point, 29/10/2012
  31. Fillon écrit aux adhérents UMP et prend ses distances avec Copé L'Express, 04/11/2012
  32. Présidence UMP: le scrutin est clos, mais des files d’attente encore dans les bureaux de vote Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace,18/11/2012
  33. Copé ou Fillon ? Les trois enseignements d'une soirée ubuesque à l'UMP France TV Info, 18/11/2012
  34. Copé, la victoire au forceps Le Figaro, 20/11/2012
  35. Résultats des élections internes on the UMP website Archived 2012-11-27 at the Wayback Machine
  36. Présidence de l'UMP : le camp Fillon revendique la victoire, Le Monde 21/11/2012
  37. UMP : le président de la Commission des recours rejette les conditions de Juppé Le Point, 23/11/2012
  38. Taylor, Adam. "The French Right Wing Is Committing 'Live Suicide'". Business Insider. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  39. « Pour tout comprendre à la bataille juridique entre Copé et Fillon », LeMonde.fr, 27 novembre 2012.
  40. Les calculs de la commission des recours favorables à M. Copé Le Monde 26/11/2012
  41. « La victoire de Copé à l'UMP confirmée par la commission de recours » RTS, 26/11/2012]
  42. Les calculs de la commission des recours favorables à M. Copé Le Monde 26/11/2012
  43. « UMP: le groupe filloniste déposé à l'Assemblée », Le Figaro, 27/11/2012
  44. « Chatel : "Il faut redonner la parole aux militants" » Archived 2013-03-25 at the Wayback Machine, Le JDD, 01/12/2012
  45. Fillon rejette la proposition Copé, le blocage se poursuit à l'UMP Le Monde-AFP, 02/12/2012
  46. « La crise UMP se transforme en guerre froide », Mediapart, 05/12/2012
  47. "UMP: l'accord Copé-Fillon adopté à l'unanimité par le bureau politique". LExpress.fr. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  48. Alexandre Lemarié, « Hortefeux, Ciotti, Morano… L’organigramme complet de la direction de l’UMP », lemonde.fr, 15/01/2013
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