French Party

The French Party (Greek: Γαλλικό Κόμμα), presenting itself as the Constitutional Party, was one of the three informal Early Greek Parties that dominated the early political history of Modern Greece, the other two being the Russian and the English Party.

History and party development

The creation and evolution of these Parties was the effect of the interest that the three Great Powers (the United Kingdom, France and Russia) displayed for Greek affairs. As a result, they counted on the hope that Greeks had, that by supporting them those countries would also help the Greek Kingdom to fulfill its expectations for economic progress and territorial expansion.

The French party began as a political faction centered on Ioannis Kolettis during the Second National Assembly at Astros in 1824. Kolettis was the most powerful political leader emerging from the assembly and that added strength to his faction.

The parties were also defined by the so-called "Three Intrigues" by which each faction supported a post-revolutionary leader of the respective power. The French faction supported the Duke of Nemours brother of the future king of France in 1825. The other factions responded by supporting others for the throne.