The Centrists (French: Les Centristes, pronounced [le sɑ̃tʁist], LC), known as The Centrists – New Centre (Les Centristes – Nouveau Centre [le sɑ̃tʁist nuvo sɑ̃tʁ], LC-NC) since 2018, formerly known as New Centre (Nouveau Centre, NC) and European Social Liberal Party (Parti Social Libéral Européen [paʁti sɔsjal libeʁal øʁɔpeɛ̃], PSLE), is a centre-right[3] political party in France formed by the members of the Union for French Democracy (UDF) – including 18 of the 29 members of the UDF in the National Assembly) – who did not agree with François Bayrou's decision to found the Democratic Movement (MoDem) and wanted to support the newly-elected president Nicolas Sarkozy, continuing the UDF–Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) alliance.

With other deputies elected under various banners, the party formed a parliamentary group of 22 members, including MoDem candidates Jean-Christophe Lagarde.

In his second cabinet, the Prime Minister François Fillon appointed three NC members Hervé Morin as Defense Minister, André Santini as State Secretary for Public Servants and Valérie Létard as State Secretary for Social Solidarity.

[8][9][10] The Centrists' political ideas are in large part inspired by those of François Bayrou in his 2007 presidential campaign.

It supports a greater role for the French Parliament and some in the party favour the introduction of a German-style mixed member proportional (MMP) system for parliamentary elections.

The party is strong institutionally in the Loir-et-Cher, where it holds two of the department's three seats and the presidency of the general council.

In order to obtain public financing, The Centrists have signed a convention with Fetia Api, a very small party in French Polynesia.

23 parliamentarians (18 of the French National Assembly and 5 from the Senate) declared they belong to Fetia Api for this reason.