Editing Union for a Popular Movement (section)

====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}}