The Rally for the Republic, also known by its French acronym RPR (Rassemblement pour la République), was a French political party. Originating from the UDR, it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and posed as the heir of Gaullism. On September 21, 2002, the RPR was merged into the Union for a Presidential Majority (Union pour la Majorité Présidentielle), later renamed the Union for a Popular Movement (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire). A political party is a political organization that subscribes to a certain ideology and seeks to attain political power within a government. ... Union of Democrats for the Republic (French : Union des Démocrates pour la République), also known as the Gaullist Party was a political party of France. ... Jacques René Chirac (born November 29, 1932) is a French politician. ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Gaullism is a French political ideology based on the thought and action of Charles de Gaulle. ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Union for a Popular Movement, initially named the Union for a Presidential Majority, and in both cases also known by its French acronym UMP (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire and Union pour la Majorité Présidentielle, respectively) is a French right-wing, conservative political party. ...

The RPR was, by far, Jacques Chirac's movement and electoral machine, though at times, such as in 1995, Chirac had failed to fully control it and prevent another candidate from opposing him. Jacques René Chirac (born November 29, 1932) is a French politician. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Prior to its replacement by UMP, the RPR had been increasingly embroiled in judicial proceedings following from the corruption scandals in the Paris region. Its former secretary-general Alain Juppé was sentenced in 2004 for a related felony. In the 1980s and 1990s there were in the Paris region (Île-de-France) multiple instances of alleged and proved political corruption cases, as well as cases of abuse of public money and resources. ... Alain Juppé (born August 15, 1945) is a French politician; among other positions, he was Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

By and large, the RPR served as Chirac's electoral machine, though a sizeable portion of its members supported another RPR presidential contender, Édouard Balladur, in the election of 1995. Some Gaullists such as Charles Pasqua, a founding member of the RPR, left the party, denouncing policies that they deemed too supportive of the power of the European Union, at odds with the Gaullist doctrine of national independence. Edouard Balladur, French statesman Édouard Balladur (born May 2, 1929) is a French politician. ... Second Round First Round See also: President of France, France, Politics of France Categories: Elections in France | 1995 elections ... Charles Pasqua (born April 18, French businessman and politician. ...

See also

• Politics of France