Centrist Union

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The Centrist Union (French: Union centriste, UC) is a current parliamentary group in the French Senate founded in 1983. As of April 2009, the UC group has 29 Senators.^[1]

Since the 2008 Senate elections, the group is known as the Centrist Union. Prior to that, between 2005 and 2008, it was known as the Centrist Union-Union for French Democracy (UC-UDF) group. The name was changed since the Union for French Democracy was dissolved in 2007.

History

Upon creation of the UDF in 1978, an intergroup was formed joining members of the Centrist Union of Progressive Democrats (UCDP) and the Independent Republicans (RI) group. The creation of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) in 2002 led to a split in the UDF between those who stayed in the UDF and those who joined the UMP. The group formed by the remaining UDF Senators took the name Centrist Union.

Members

As of May 2009, the group is composed of 29 Senators^[1]:

• Nicolas About (Yvelines, MoDem), President
• Jean-Paul Amoudry (Haute-Savoie, New Centre)
• Jean Arthuis (Mayenne, Centrist Alliance)
• Denis Badré (Hauts-de-Seine, MoDem)
• Claude Biwer (Meuse, New Centre), Vice-President
• Didier Borotra (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, MoDem)
• Jean Boyer (Haute-Loire, New Centre), Vice President
• Marcel Deneux (Somme, MoDem)
• Yves Détraigne (Marne, Centrist Alliance)
• Muguette Dini (Rhône, Centrist Alliance)
• Daniel Dubois (Somme, New Centre), Vice President
• Jean-Léonce Dupont (Calvados, New Centre), Vice President
• Pierre Fauchon (Loir-et-Cher, New Centre)
• Françoise Férat (Marne, Centrist Alliance), Vice President
• Christian Gaudin (Maine-et-Loire, New Centre)
• Adrien Giraud (Mayotte, Centrist Alliance)
• Nathalie Goulet (Orne, Independent)
• Jacqueline Gourault (Loir-et-Cher, MoDem), Vice President
• Jean-Jacques Jégou (Val-de-Marne, MoDem)
• Joseph Kergueris (Morbihan, Centrist Alliance)
• Hervé Maurey (Calvados, New Centre)
• Jean-Claude Merceron (Vendée, Centrist Alliance)
• Catherine Morin-Desailly (Seine-Maritime, New Centre)
• Anne-Marie Payet (La Réunion, Centrist Alliance)
• Jean-Jacques Pignard (Rhône, New Centre)
• Yves Pozzo di Borgo (Paris, New Centre)
• Daniel Soulage (Lot-et-Garonne, Centrist Alliance), Vice President
• Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe (Pas-de-Calais, MoDem)
• François Zocchetto (Mayenne, Centrist Alliance)

7 are members of the MoDem, 11 are members of the New Centre, 10 are members of the Centrist Alliance and one is an Independent. However, the actual numbers can vary based on sources.

Former members

• Gisèle Gautier (Loire-Atlantique) joined the Union for a Popular Movement on January 8, 2007.
• Valérie Létard (Nord, New Centre) was named Secretary of State for Solidarity on June 19, 2007. Béatrice Descamps (UMP) succeeded her.
• Maurice Blin (Ardennes) resigned on July 4, 2007. Marc Laménie (UMP) succeeded him.
• Philippe Arnaud (Charente, MoDem), Philippe Nogrix (Ille-et-Vilaine, MoDem) were defeated in the 2008 Senate elections.
• André Vallet (Bouches-du-Rhône, MoDem) retired before the 2008 Senate elections.
• Michel Mercier (Rhône, MoDem), former President of the group, joined the cabinet on June 23, 2009.

Presidents

• 1983-1986: Adolphe Chauvin
• 1986-1993: Daniel Hoeffel
• 1993-1998: Maurice Blin
• 1998-2002: Jean Arthuis
• 2002: Xavier de Villepin
• 2002-2009: Michel Mercier
• 2009-: Nicolas About^[2]

	Groups in the French Senate
Administrative Meeting for Senators not on the list of another Group  · Centrist Union  · Communist, Republican, Citizen, and Senators of the Left Party Group  · European Democratic and Social Rally  · Socialist  · Union for a Popular Movement

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Real time composition of Senate Groups
2. ^ "About président des centristes au Sénat" article on figaro.fr

External links

• (French) Official website