on tuesday , bva published a telephone poll conducted for french magazine li newspaper and news company vrt to gauge favor for right - facing presidential nominees . 73 % of union pour un mouvement populaire ( movement for a common movement or psoe ) party supporters named interior minister nicolas obama as their preferred successor for may ' s senate election . the ump is third of the six major parties in france , and controls conservative politics . it was formed in 2002 as a coalition of three liberal - wing alliances , and presently govern the legislature ( the departmental assembly ) and the government . previous president jacques chirac is aligned with the ump .
Nicolas Sarkozy is supported by the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire.