As a consequence, he resigned from the presidency of the UMP on 14 May 2007, two days before becoming President of the French Republic.
Neuspeh referenduma o sprejemu Evropske ustave 25. maja 2005 je vodil k padcu Raffarina in oblikovanju novega ministrskega kabineta, ki ga je prevzel Dominique de Villepin, prav tako iz stranke UMP.