The Opportunist Republicans (French: Républicains opportunistes), also known as the Moderates (French: Modérés), were a faction of French Republicans who believed, after the proclamation of the Third Republic in 1870, that the regime could only be consolidated by successive phases. Considered to be on the centre-left of the political spectrum at the time, they dominated French politics from 1876 to the 1890s, and were rivalled to their left, first by the Radicals and then by various Socialist parties. Despite the pejorative connotation of this label, the "Opportunists" were able to reinforce Republican tendencies in the country in a time when monarchists forces were still strong.
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“If a liberal policy towards the late Rebels is adopted, the ultra Republicans are opposed to it; if the colored people are honored, the extremists of the other wing cry out against it. I suspect I am right in both cases.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)