▁B id ault ▁shared ▁similar ▁th eses . ▁These ▁circles ▁participated ▁act ively ▁in ▁the ▁anti - N azi ▁under ground ▁Res istance ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁Foundation ▁and ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁MR P ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁some ▁prominent ▁French ▁polit icians ▁wanted ▁to ▁r ally ▁all ▁the ▁non - Comm un ist ▁Res istance ▁behind ▁Charles ▁De ▁Ga ulle . ▁This ▁project ▁failed . ▁The ▁French ▁Section ▁of ▁the ▁Work ers ▁International ▁( S FI O ) ▁was ▁ref ounded ▁and ▁people ▁from ▁the ▁Christian ▁resistance ▁movement ▁founded ▁the ▁Popular ▁Republican ▁Mov ement . ▁It ▁claimed ▁its ▁loyal ty ▁to ▁de ▁Ga ulle , ▁who ▁led ▁the ▁prov is ional ▁government ▁composed ▁of ▁Commun ists , ▁Social ists ▁and ▁Christian ▁dem ocr ats . ▁At ▁the ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁legisl ative ▁election , ▁the ▁MR P ▁was ▁second ▁( 2 3 . 9 %) ▁after ▁the ▁French ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁( PC F ) ▁but ▁ahead ▁the ▁S FI O . ▁ ▁The ▁MR P ▁benef ited ▁from ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁real ▁right - wing ▁challeng ers ▁to ▁r ally ▁the ▁conserv ative ▁elect or ate . ▁Indeed , ▁among ▁the ▁three ▁largest ▁parties , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁that ▁was ▁not ▁Marx ist . ▁Furthermore , ▁it ▁appeared ▁the ▁closest ▁to ▁de ▁Ga ulle . ▁It ▁supported ▁the ▁re forms ▁decided ▁by ▁the ▁prov is ional ▁government ▁and ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁programme ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Council ▁of ▁Res istance