▁chose ▁Gu elle h ▁as ▁its ▁president ial ▁candidate . ▁As ▁the ▁joint ▁candidate ▁of ▁the ▁R PP ▁and ▁moder ate ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁Front ▁for ▁the ▁Rest oration ▁of ▁Unity ▁and ▁Dem ocracy ▁( FR UD ), ▁Gu elle h ▁won ▁the ▁president ial ▁election ▁held ▁on ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁with ▁ 7 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁defe ating ▁his ▁only ▁ch allen ger , ▁the ▁independent ▁candidate ▁M ous sa ▁Ah med ▁Id r iss . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁election ▁held ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁party ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁for ▁a ▁President ial ▁Major ity ▁( Union ▁pour ▁la ▁Major ité ▁Prés ident ielle , ▁U MP ), ▁that ▁won ▁ 6 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote ▁and ▁all ▁ 6 5 ▁seats . ▁ ▁The ▁R PP ▁opened ▁its ▁E ighth ▁Ord inary ▁Congress ▁on ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁coinc iding ▁with ▁the ▁party ' s ▁ 2 5 th ▁anni versary . ▁At ▁this ▁con gress , ▁Gu elle h ▁was ▁un anim ously ▁re - elect ed ▁as ▁R PP ▁President ▁by ▁acc lam ation ▁for ▁another ▁three - year ▁term , ▁and ▁the ▁R PP ▁Central ▁Committee ▁was ▁expanded ▁from ▁ 1 8 0 ▁to ▁ 2 5 0 ▁members . ▁On ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁R PP ▁held ▁its ▁N inth ▁Ord