 Until 1981, Michel Poniatowski was ambassador and personal representative of President Giscard.He was a MEP from 1979 to 1989, and presided in the European Parliament over the Commission on Development and Cooperation (1979–1984) then the Commission on Energy, Research and Technology (1984).Poniatowski approved in September 1983 the merger of the electoral list RPR-UDF with the far-right National Front (FN) party, headed by Jean-Marie Le Pen, during the partial municipal election of Dreux.