on tuesday , bva published a telephone ballot conducted for european newspaper nouveau zeitung and news channel lci to gauge enthusiasm for radical - aligned independent politicians . 73 % of centre pour un mouvement populaire ( federation for a popular group or rightwing ) party supporter identified security minister nicolas sarkozy as their favored nominee for march ' s presidential election . the ump is one of the two major parties in power , and represents conservative politics . it was created in 2002 as a union of two right - winged parties , and currently controls the government ( the departmental assembly ) and the council . current president duff merkel is allied with the ump .
Nicolas Sarkozy is supported by the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire.