Sarkozy renames French opposition, 'The Republicans'
More than 80% of UMP members backed the name change on Friday Former
French president Nicolas Sarkozy has changed his party's name from Union
for a Popular Movement (UMP) to The Republicans.Members of France's main
opposition party voted to support the re-branding on Friday, with 83% of
members approving the move.
The move has sparked widespread debate in France, with critics
arguing that all French people are Republicans.Mr Sarkozy is widely
expected to try for the presidency again in 2017.
According to one opinion poll, almost 70% of the public - and 40% of
UMP supporters - said that no political party had the right to use the
Republican label.In an editorial in Le Monde (in French), a group of
three writers and politicians said: “For Nicolas Sarkozy to name his
party in such a way that claims to represent all Republicans, as though
there is no-one else apart from him, is insulting and irresponsible.”
- BBC News
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