Nicolas Dupont-Aignan

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (French pronunciation: [nikɔla dypɔ̃(t‿)ɛɲɑ̃] ; born 7 March 1961), sometimes referred to by his initials NDA, is a French politician serving since 2008 as president of the minor party Debout la France. He was its only member in the National Assembly, having been elected for Essonne's 8th constituency beginning in 1997; he was previously mayor of Yerres from 1995 to 2017.

A member of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party until January 2007, he then founded the Gaullist and souverainist party Debout la France (DLF; "France Arise") in November 2008, named Debout la République until October 2014 and which is closely linked to the European political party Europeans United for Democracy. He ran for President of France in 2012, 2017, and 2022. He endorsed the runner-up Marine Le Pen in the 2017 and 2022 second round elections.

He was unseated in the 2024 French legislative election.

Early life

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan was born Nicolas Dupont on 7 March 1961, in Paris, the son of Jean-Louis Dupont, a wine maker and veteran of the Second World War who escaped a German POW camp, and Colette Aignan.

During his youth, Dupont-Aignan was a member of Rally for the Republic. He campaigned for the Gaullist politician Jacques Chaban-Delmas during the 1974 presidential election.

Dupont-Aignan graduated from Sciences Po in 1982 and acquired his law license in 1984. He received a postgraduate degree from Paris Dauphine University. He also attended the École nationale d'administration, between 1987 and 1989.