Dominique de Villepin called the press at Matignon

Saturday, February 25. Dominique de Villepin called the press at Matignon. To respond to a possible takeover bid for the Italian Enel on Suez, it announces the amalgamation with SFM. It is the "economic patriotism" in action. Follow strong reactions from the European countries against "economic protectionism" of the France.

March. Social news is occupied by the anti-CPE movement, but resentment rising against the privatization of GDF, prior to the merger, and the Government was slow to present his text.

on May 23. The Government passes its Bill to the Council of State. The State retains une blocking minority in SFM and une "golden share".

May 30. Criticism began to be heard within the UMP majority. The sarkozyste Pierre Méhaignerie, Chairman of the Board of Finance of the Assembly, ensures that the text is not based "on a real industrial project. The relatives of the President of the UMP fear that only opens a new social front within a few months of the presidential and that Nicolas Sarkozy is placed at odds. It was he who was hired in 2004, when he was Minister for the economy to that of the State in SFM is not below 70.

14 and 15 June. Debate in Parliament. The Prime Minister is unable to convince the UMP deputies. Bernard Accoyer, President of the Assembly group, says that there is not "sufficient majority" to vote the text.

19 June. Thierry Breton, Minister of economy, takes the case in hand, and announces that parliamentary discussion will be postponed to September, to allow more time to the "work of pedagogy". The climate of hostility continues nevertheless to prevail the UMP.

on June 26. Television speech of Jacques Chirac to ensure that the proposed merger will be completed.

June 28. Dominique de Villepin poster him also its determination, while promising to listen to parliamentarians and to give them guarantees, particularly on energy rates.

on July 26. Extraordinary meeting of the UMP in the Assembly on the project. The rapporteur of the text, the sarkozyste Jean-Claude Lenoir, proposes a plan B, complex but which allows the State to remain at 70 in SFM. It is unanimously considered unfeasible. The next day, it is Patrick Devedjian indicating prepare an alternative scheme. Confusion remains, even if seem more and more members join the project of the Government. During the summer, Thierry Breton receives UMP MPs in his Office.

July 31. Dominique de Villepin and Nicolas Sarkozy ate breakfast together. Their families are of a non-aggression pact: Prime Minister does nothing against the candidate Sarkozy to the Presidency, the President of the UMP does nothing to hit Government action.

15 August. On television, Nicolas Sarkozy expressed support for the text of the Government.

2 September. "To my family, it was supporting the Government", he explains to justify its approval to the merger desired by the Government, without appearing to be satisfied on the merits.

Except enormous surprise, the UMP thus prepares to massively approve the text (which will allow to adopt), even if the majority agreement is still somewhat fragile: yesterday Bernard Accoyer also firmly called the group the "duty of unit".