Editing Union for a Popular Movement (section)

===After May 2012===
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<ref>[http://elections.lefigaro.fr/presidentielle-2012/2012/05/01/01039-20120501ARTFIG00219-cope-je-ne-travaille-qu-a-la-victoire-de-notre-candidat.php « Copé : “Je proposerai de créer des mouvements à l'UMP” »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303180429/http://elections.lefigaro.fr/presidentielle-2012/2012/05/01/01039-20120501ARTFIG00219-cope-je-ne-travaille-qu-a-la-victoire-de-notre-candidat.php |date=3 March 2016 }}, ''Le Figaro'', 2 May 2012</ref> and the organisation of primaries for the next presidential election.<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2012/05/04/97001-20120504FILWWW00581-primaires-en-2017-une-evidence-cope.php Primaires 2017 : "Une évidence" (Copé)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730041706/http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2012/05/04/97001-20120504FILWWW00581-primaires-en-2017-une-evidence-cope.php |date=30 July 2013 }}, ''[[Le Figaro]]'', 4 May 2012</ref>

====Campaign for the November 2012 congress====
The UMP's political bureau announced the organisation of a party congress on 18 and 25 November 2012,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120706044825/http://www.lesechos.fr/economie-politique/politique/actu/0202155386795-l-election-du-president-de-l-ump-aura-lieu-les-18-et-25-novembre-340717.php L'élection du président de l'UMP aura lieu les 18 et 25 novembre]  ''[[Les Échos (France)|Les Echos]]'' 4 July 2012</ref> leading prominent party leaders to organise factions and "movements" to influence the party's new direction.<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/07/19/01002-20120719ARTFIG00519-les-courants-foisonnent-a-l-ump.php Les courants foisonnent à l'UMP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702175655/http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/07/19/01002-20120719ARTFIG00519-les-courants-foisonnent-a-l-ump.php |date=2 July 2013 }}, ''[[Le Figaro]]'', 19 July 2012</ref>

Ultimately, two candidates amassed the required endorsements to run for the party's presidency: former prime minister [[François Fillon]]<ref>[http://www.france24.com/fr/20120630-francois-fillon-officiellement-candidat-presidence-ump-france-politique-jean-francois-cope-congres-opposition François Fillon officiellement candidat à la présidence de l'UMP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801052530/http://www.france24.com/fr/20120630-francois-fillon-officiellement-candidat-presidence-ump-france-politique-jean-francois-cope-congres-opposition |date=1 August 2013 }} France24, 1 June 2012</ref> and incumbent party secretary-general [[Jean-François Copé]].<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/08/26/01002-20120826ARTFIG00068-cope-vise-la-tete-de-l-ump-pour-regagner-la-france.php Copé vise la tête de l'UMP pour «regagner la France»] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730044948/http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/08/26/01002-20120826ARTFIG00068-cope-vise-la-tete-de-l-ump-pour-regagner-la-france.php |date=30 July 2013 }} ''Le Figaro'', 26 August 2012</ref> [[Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet]],<ref>[http://www.france24.com/fr/20120721-nathalie-kosciusko-morizet-candidate-presidence-ump-fillon-cope-sarkozy Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet brigue officiellement la présidence de l'UMP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315124948/http://www.france24.com/fr/20120721-nathalie-kosciusko-morizet-candidate-presidence-ump-fillon-cope-sarkozy |date=15 March 2013 }} France24, 21 July 2012</ref> [[Bruno Le Maire]],<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/08/19/01002-20120819ARTFIG00132-bruno-le-maire-pourquoi-je-suis-candidat.php Bruno Le Maire : « Pourquoi je suis candidat »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730042739/http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/08/19/01002-20120819ARTFIG00132-bruno-le-maire-pourquoi-je-suis-candidat.php |date=30 July 2013 }} ''Le Figaro'', 20 August 2012</ref> [[Xavier Bertrand]],<ref>[http://www.leparisien.fr/politique/ump-xavier-bertrand-j-ai-les-8000-parrainages-06-09-2012-2153061.php Xavier Bertrand : «J’ai les 8000 parrainages !»] ''Le Parisien'', 6 September 2012</ref> [[Henri Guaino]],<ref>[http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/henri-guaino-pourquoi-je-suis-candidat-a-la-presidence-de-l-ump_1156013.html Henri Guaino: "Pourquoi je suis candidat à la présidence de l'UMP"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430095124/http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/henri-guaino-pourquoi-je-suis-candidat-a-la-presidence-de-l-ump_1156013.html |date=30 April 2013 }} ''L'Express'', 3 September 2012</ref> and [[Dominique Dord]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europe1.fr/Politique/Dominique-Dord-candidat-a-la-tete-de-l-UMP-1169519 |title=Dominique Dord candidat à la tête de l'UMP |date=14 July 2012 |access-date=2013-03-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107083151/http://www.europe1.fr/Politique/Dominique-Dord-candidat-a-la-tete-de-l-UMP-1169519/ |archive-date=7 January 2013 |df=dmy-all }} ''Le Lab Europe 1'', 14/07/12</ref> had also announced their candidacies but did not meet tough candidacy requirements.

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<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2012/09/28/fillon-vs-cope-le-match-de-la-presidence-ump-chiffres_n_1922723.html Fillon / Copé : le match de la présidence de l'UMP en chiffres] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234336/http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2012/09/28/fillon-vs-cope-le-match-de-la-presidence-ump-chiffres_n_1922723.html |date=30 December 2013 }} ''Le Huffington Post'' 2 October 2012</ref> while Copé claimed he was the candidate of party activists rather than party 'barons'.<ref>[http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/jean-francois-cope-se-pose-en-defenseur-des-militants-ump_1158415.html Jean-François Copé se pose en défenseur des militants UMP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021213507/http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/jean-francois-cope-se-pose-en-defenseur-des-militants-ump_1158415.html |date=21 October 2012 }} ''L'Express'', 9 September 2012</ref> However, Copé remained as secretary-general and retained control of the party machinery.<ref>[http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/ump-pendant-la-campagne-cope-reste-secretaire-general_1154061.html UMP: pendant la campagne, Copé reste secrétaire général] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922024310/http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/ump-pendant-la-campagne-cope-reste-secretaire-general_1154061.html |date=22 September 2012 }}''L'Express'', 29 August 2012</ref>

While Fillon's campaign was regarded as more consensual, moderate and centre-right; Copé campaigned as the candidate of the ''droite décomplexée'' ('uninhibited right')<ref>[http://www.lesechos.fr/economie-politique/politique/actu/0202302043897-ump-le-projet-economique-decomplexe-de-cope-368513.php UMP : le projet économique « décomplexé » de Copé] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111160244/http://www.lesechos.fr/economie-politique/politique/actu/0202302043897-ump-le-projet-economique-decomplexe-de-cope-368513.php |date=11 November 2012 }} ''Les Echos'', 3 October 2012</ref> and introduced issues such as [[Reverse racism|anti-white racism]].<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/09/26/01002-20120926ARTFIG00428-cope-denonce-l-existence-d-un-racisme-anti-blanc.php Copé dénonce l'existence d'un «racisme anti-Blanc»] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504234759/http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/09/26/01002-20120926ARTFIG00428-cope-denonce-l-existence-d-un-racisme-anti-blanc.php |date=4 May 2013 }} ''Le Figaro'', 26 September 2012</ref> However, both candidates received support from moderate and conservative members of the party and their main differences were in rhetoric, style and temperament.<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/10/26/01002-20121026ARTFIG00005-cope-fillon-ce-qui-les-separe.php Copé-Fillon : ce qui les sépare] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119001209/http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/10/26/01002-20121026ARTFIG00005-cope-fillon-ce-qui-les-separe.php |date=19 November 2012 }} ''Le Figaro'', 26 October 2012</ref> Copé, again, appeared more militant and activist, saying that he would support and participate in street demonstrations<ref>[http://www.lepoint.fr/politique/presidence-de-l-ump-cope-envisagerait-d-appeler-a-manifester-contre-l-executif-29-10-2012-1522378_20.php Présidence de l'UMP : Copé envisagerait d'appeler à manifester contre l'exécutif ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403092424/http://www.lepoint.fr/politique/presidence-de-l-ump-cope-envisagerait-d-appeler-a-manifester-contre-l-executif-29-10-2012-1522378_20.php |date=3 April 2013 }} ''Le Point'', 29 October 2012</ref> while Fillon disagreed with his rival.<ref>[http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/fillon-ecrit-aux-adherents-ump-et-prend-ses-distances-avec-cope_1182911.html Fillon écrit aux adhérents UMP et prend ses distances avec Copé] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114061846/http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/fillon-ecrit-aux-adherents-ump-et-prend-ses-distances-avec-cope_1182911.html |date=14 November 2012 }} ''L'Express'', 4 November 2012</ref>

Six 'motions' (declarations of principles) were submitted to party voters; under the new statutes, motions which won over 10% of the vote at the congress would be recognised as "movements" by the UMP leadership, granted financial autonomy and receive positions in the party structures.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

====Results and subsequent crisis====
The vote on 18 November saw high turnout but was quickly marred by allegations of irregularities and potential fraud on both sides.<ref>[http://www.dna.fr/actualite/2012/11/18/presidence-ump-le-scrutin-est-clos-mais-des-files-d-attente-encore-dans-les-bureaux-de-vote Présidence UMP: le scrutin est clos, mais des files d’attente encore dans les bureaux de vote] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729113439/http://www.dna.fr/actualite/2012/11/18/presidence-ump-le-scrutin-est-clos-mais-des-files-d-attente-encore-dans-les-bureaux-de-vote |date=29 July 2014 }} ''Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace'',18 November 2012</ref> Both candidates proclaimed victory within 20 minutes of each other on the night of the vote.<ref>[http://www.francetvinfo.fr/presidence-de-l-ump-jean-francois-cope-revendique-la-victoire_172137.html Copé ou Fillon ? Les trois enseignements d'une soirée ubuesque à l'UMP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405224020/http://www.francetvinfo.fr/presidence-de-l-ump-jean-francois-cope-revendique-la-victoire_172137.html |date=5 April 2013 }} ''France TV Info'', 18 November 2012</ref>

Twenty four hours later, the control commission in charge of the vote (COCOE) announced Copé's victory by only 98 votes.<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/11/19/01002-20121119ARTFIG00748-cope-la-victoire-aux-forceps.php Copé, la victoire au forceps] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509162813/http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2012/11/19/01002-20121119ARTFIG00748-cope-la-victoire-aux-forceps.php |date=9 May 2013 }} ''Le Figaro'', 20 November 2012</ref> While Fillon initially conceded defeat, by 21 November, his campaign claimed victory anew, with a 26-vote advantage over Copé.<ref>[http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2012/11/21/presidence-ump-le-camp-fillon-revendique-la-victoire_1793845_823448.html Présidence de l'UMP : le camp Fillon revendique la victoire], ''Le Monde'' 21 November 2012</ref> Fillon's campaign argued that the COCOE had failed to take into account votes cast in three [[DOM-TOM|overseas federations]].

Party elder Alain Juppé accepted to lead a mediation between both candidates on 23 November,<ref>[http://www.lepoint.fr/politique/ump-le-president-de-la-commission-des-recours-rejette-les-conditions-de-juppe-23-11-2012-1532715_20.php UMP : le président de la Commission des recours rejette les conditions de Juppé ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128115435/http://www.lepoint.fr/politique/ump-le-president-de-la-commission-des-recours-rejette-les-conditions-de-juppe-23-11-2012-1532715_20.php |date=28 January 2013 }}''Le Point'', 23 November 2012</ref> but it failed within two days. Fillon's announced "precautionary seizure" of ballots cast "to protect them from tampering or alteration"<ref name="businessinsider.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ump-leadership-struggle-suicide-2012-11|title=UMP Leadership Struggle 'Suicide'|publisher=Business Insider|date=26 November 2012|access-date=30 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427005639/http://www.businessinsider.com/ump-leadership-struggle-suicide-2012-11|archive-date=27 April 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and threatened to take the matter to court.<ref>[http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2012/11/26/quels-sont-les-ressorts-de-l-action-en-justice-de-fillon_1795903_823448.html « Pour tout comprendre à la bataille juridique entre Copé et Fillon »], LeMonde.fr, 27 novembre 2012.</ref> On 26 November, the party appeals commission – led by a close supporter of Copé – decided in Copé's favour and rejected Fillon's arguments.<ref>[http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2012/11/26/le-recompte-de-la-commission-des-recours-favorable-a-cope_1796180_823448.html Les calculs de la commission des recours favorables à M. Copé] ''Le Monde'' 26 November 2012</ref>

On 27 November, 72 ''filloniste'' parliamentarians in the [[French National Assembly|National Assembly]] announced the creation of a new parliamentary group, the ''{{anchor|Rassemblement-UMP}}[[Rassemblement-UMP]]'', led by Fillon.<ref>[http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2012/11/27/97001-20121127FILWWW00727-ump-le-groupe-filloniste-depose-a-l-assemblee.php « UMP: le groupe filloniste déposé à l'Assemblée »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130043618/http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2012/11/27/97001-20121127FILWWW00727-ump-le-groupe-filloniste-depose-a-l-assemblee.php |date=30 November 2012 }}, ''Le Figaro'', 27 November 2012</ref> Copé took up former president Nicolas Sarkozy's proposal of organising 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.<ref>[http://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/Actualite/Luc-Chatel-Il-faut-redonner-la-parole-aux-militants-578648 « Chatel : "Il faut redonner la parole aux militants" »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325175639/http://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/Actualite/Luc-Chatel-Il-faut-redonner-la-parole-aux-militants-578648 |date=25 March 2013 }}, ''Le JDD'', 1 December 2012</ref> The next day, Copé announced that he favoured organising 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 organisation of a new election" he rejected his rival's timeline and called for a new election before 2014.<ref>[http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2012/12/02/cope-propose-une-nouvelle-election-pour-la-presidence-de-l-ump-en-2014_1798918_823448.html Fillon rejette la proposition Copé, le blocage se poursuit à l'UMP] ''Le Monde''-AFP, 2 December 2012</ref> 'Unaligned' members of the UMP led by [[Bruno Le Maire]] and [[Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet]] appealed for the organisation of a new election in the spring of 2013 and a reform of the party statutes.<ref>[http://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/051212/la-crise-ump-se-transforme-en-guerre-froide « La crise UMP se transforme en guerre froide »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421050540/http://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/051212/la-crise-ump-se-transforme-en-guerre-froide |date=21 April 2013 }}, ''[[Mediapart]]'', 5 December 2012</ref>

====Resolution====
Both rivals reached an agreement at the end of December 2012,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/ump-l-accord-cope-fillon-adopte-a-l-unanimite-par-le-bureau-politique_1200751.html |title=UMP: l'accord Copé-Fillon adopté à l'unanimité par le bureau politique |date=18 December 2012 |publisher=L'EXPRESS |access-date=30 November 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203101400/http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/ump-l-accord-cope-fillon-adopte-a-l-unanimite-par-le-bureau-politique_1200751.html |archive-date=3 December 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> with Copé agreeing to the organisation 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.<ref>Alexandre Lemarié, [http://ump.blog.lemonde.fr/2013/01/15/dati-ciotti-morano-lorganigramme-complet-de-la-direction-de-lump/ « Hortefeux, Ciotti, Morano… L’organigramme complet de la direction de l’UMP »] {{webarchive|url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130116142105/http://ump.blog.lemonde.fr/2013/01/15/dati-ciotti-morano-lorganigramme-complet-de-la-direction-de-lump/ |date=16 January 2013 }}, [[Le Monde|lemonde.fr]], 15 January 2013</ref> New leaders were also nominated in February 2013.

==== Bygmalion scandal====
Several spending scandals appeared in 2014. In early 2014, the Bygmalion scandal ([[:fr:Bygmalion#Affaire UMP-Bygmalion|fr]]) pushed the party's leader [[Jean-François Copé]] to resign. In early July, [[Sarkozy]] got held in custody due to possible spying and active corruption of the judiciary system. On 8 July 2014, the UMP was discovered to have a hidden debt of €79.1&nbsp;million for the year 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2014/07/08/que-deviendrait-la-dette-de-l-ump-si-le-parti-disparaissait_4453316_4355770.html|title=Que deviendrait la dette de l'UMP si le parti disparaissait ?|website=Le Monde.fr|date=8 July 2014}}</ref> On 20 May 2021, the criminal trial began for Sarkozy and 13 other defendants who were said to have been involved in the Bygmalion scandal.<ref name=trialtwo>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57186670|title=Nicolas Sarkozy: Ex-president goes on trial for illegal campaign funding|publisher=BBC News|date=May 20, 2021|accessdate=May 21, 2021}}</ref> The scandal allegations that Sarkozy diverting tens of millions of euros which was intended to be spent on his failed 2012 re-election campaign and then hiring a PR firm to cover it up.<ref name=trialtwo /> The illicit campaign finance money which was not reported as being spent on Sarkozy's re-election campaign was instead used to overspend on lavish campaign rallies and events.<ref name=trialtwo /> On 30 September 2021, Sarkozy and his co-defendants would be convicted for violating France's campaign finance spending limit law.<ref name=sarkozysecondconviction>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58729505|title=Sarkozy: Ex-French president gets jail sentence over campaign funding|publisher=BBC News|date=30 September 2021|accessdate=16 November 2021}}</ref> For this conviction, Sarkozy was given a 1-year prison sentence, though he was also given the option to instead serve this sentence at home with an electronic bracelet.<ref name=sarkozysecondconviction />