Libertas France

Libertas France is the name given to the activities of Declan Ganley's Libertas Party in France. Unlike Libertas in other countries, Libertas France was not a political party in its own right. Instead, candidates from Mouvement pour la France (MPF) and Chasse, Pêche, Nature et Traditions (CPNT) contended the 2009 European Parliament elections in France under common lists branded with the Libertas identity. The candidates retained their membership of their national parties and the national parties retained their legal identity.

Formation

On 12 February 2009, European Voice (now part of Politico Europe) reported that Mouvement pour la France, the party of Philippe de Villiers and Paul-Marie Couteaux, would rename itself to Libertas for the 2009 elections.[1] Later, the position was clarified: candidates would retain their national party membership but would run for election under Libertas lists, in a manner analogous to existing Europarties. Ganley held a press conference on 11 March 2009[2][3] in which members of MPF[2] and CPNT[2] announced their intentions to stand under Libertas lists in French constituencies in the 2009 European Parliament elections. Jérôme Rivière was named as the campaign director of Libertas France.[3] During the press conference, Villiers (MPF) and Frédéric Nihous (CPNT) laid out the issues on which they would campaign: anti-Lisbon Treaty,[3] pro-Fortress Europe,[3] (périmètre de l’Europe) and anti-Turkish accession to the EU.[3]

The affiliation of MPF to Libertas was not unanimously supported: 32 federation presidents signed a motion of no confidence against Philippe de Villiers.[3] Paul-Marie Coûteaux, the existing MPF MEP for Île-de-France[3] who had been dropped as head of the list in favor of Jérôme Rivière,[3] also voiced his disapproval.[3]

Staff
Name Position
Jérôme Rivière[4] Campaign Director[4]

Issues

On 12 March 2009,[5] Philippe de Villiers and Frédéric Nihous gave a joint statement. They objected to a France-supported draft January 27 European Union regulation on oenological practices that allowed the blending of white wine and red wine to produce rosé wine.[5]

Candidates
Main article: List of Libertas list candidates at the 2009 European Parliament elections

Results
Main article: Libertas.eu

See also

References
  1. "Battle for right-wing power base" European Voice, 12 February 2009
  2. "Européennes : Frédéric Nihous et Philippe de Villiers feront campagne commune", La Tribune, March 4, 2009, English translation here
  3. "Ganley, Villiers et Nihous s’en vont «chasser le Barroso» «en meute»", EurActiv.fr, 12 March 2009, English translation here
  4. "Villiers et Nihous pour un «protectionnisme européen»", Le Figaro, 9 March 2009
  5. "Rosés coupés : 'inadmissible' (Villiers)", Le Figaro, 12 March 2009
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