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European People's Party

European People's Party

The European People's Party (EPP) is a European political party with conservative[7] and liberal-conservative[3] member parties. A transnational organisation, it is composed of other political parties, not individuals. Founded by primarily Christian democratic parties in 1976, it has since broadened its membership to include liberal-conservative parties and parties with other centre-right political perspectives.[8][9][10][11]

The EPP has been the largest party in the European Parliament since 1999 and in the European Council since 2002. It is also by far the largest party in the current European Commission. The President of the European Council, President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament are all from the EPP. Many of the Founding fathers of the European Union were also from parties that later formed the EPP. Outside the EU the party also controls a majority in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The EPP has alternated with its centre-left rival the Party of European Socialists (PES) as the largest European political party and parliamentary group.

The EPP includes major centre-right parties such as the CDU/CSU of Germany, The Republicans of France, CD&V of Belgium, KDU-ČSL of the Czech Republic, Fine Gael of Ireland, New Democracy of Greece, Forza Italia of Italy, the People's Party (PP) of Spain, the Social Democratic Party of Portugal, the Civic Platform of Poland, and Fidesz of Hungary.

European People's Party
PresidentJoseph Daul (FR)
Group leaderManfred Weber MEP (DE)
Secretary-GeneralAntonio López-Istúriz White MEP (ES)
Founded8 July 1976 (1976-07-08)
HeadquartersRue du Commerce/Handelsstraat 10, 1000 — Brussels, Belgium
Think tankWilfried Martens Centre for European Studies
Student wingEuropean Democrat Students
Youth wingYouth of the European People's Party
Women's wingWomen of the European People's Party
IdeologyConservatism[2]
Liberal conservatism[3]
Christian democracy[3]
Pro-Europeanism[4]
Political positionCentre-right[2]
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International,[5]
International Democrat Union[6]
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party
ColoursBlue
European Parliament
182 / 751
European Council
9 / 28
European Lower Houses
2,199 / 9,874
European Upper Houses
569 / 2,714
Website
www.epp.eu [51]
  • Politics of European Union
  • Political parties
  • Elections

History

Logo of European People's Party from 1999 to 2015

Logo of European People's Party from 1999 to 2015

From left to right:Tindemans, Bukman and Santer; former presidents of the EPP

From left to right:Tindemans, Bukman and Santer; former presidents of the EPP

According to its website, the EPP is "the family of the political centre-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilisation of the European continent, and [which] has pioneered the European project from its inception".[12]

The EPP was founded in Luxembourg on 8 July 1976 on the initiative of Jean Seitlinger; Leo Tindemans, then Prime Minister of Belgium, who became the first President of the EPP; and Wilfried Martens, who later became both President of the EPP and Prime Minister of Belgium. It had been preceded by the Secretariat International des partis démocratiques d'inspiration chrétienne, founded in 1925,[13] the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales, founded in 1946[14] (or 1948),[13] and the European Union of Christian Democrats, founded in 1965.[14]

In the late 1990s the Finnish politician Sauli Niinistö negotiated the merger of the European Democrat Union (EDU), of which he was President, into the EPP. In October 2002 the EDU ceased its activities after being formally absorbed by the EPP at a special event in Estoril, Portugal. In recognition of his efforts Niinistö was elected Honorary President of the EPP the same year.

The EPP has had five Presidents:

No.ImageNameTenureMember state
1Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050938-0028, Bonn, Tagung CDU-Bundesausschuss, Tindemans.jpgLeo Tindemans1976–1985BelgiumBelgium
2Piet Bukman 1980 (1).jpgPiet Bukman1985–1987NetherlandsNetherlands
3Jacques Santer.jpgJacques Santer1987–1990LuxembourgLuxembourg
4Wilfried Martens.jpgWilfried Martens1990–2013BelgiumBelgium
52016-12-06 Joseph Daul CDU Parteitag by Olaf Kosinsky-10.jpgJoseph Daul2013–presentFranceFrance

Platform and manifesto

Political manifesto and platform

During its Congress in Bucharest in 2012 the EPP updated its political platform after 20 years (since its Congress in Athens in 1992) and approved a political manifesto in which it summarised its main values and policies.

The manifesto highlights:

  • Freedom as a central human right, coupled with responsibility

  • Respect for traditions and associations

  • Solidarity to help those in need, who in turn should also make an effort to improve their situation

  • Ensuring solid public finances

  • Preserving a healthy environment

  • Subsidiarity

  • Pluralist democracy and a Social Market Economy

The manifesto also describes the EPP's priorities for the EU, including:

  • European Political Union

  • Direct election of the President of the European Commission

  • Completion of the European Single Market

  • Promotion of the family, improvements in education and health

  • Strengthening of the common immigration and asylum policy, and integrating immigrants

  • Continuation of enlargement of the EU, enhancement of the European Neighbourhood Policy and special relationship frameworks for countries that cannot, or do not want to, join the EU

  • Defining a true common EU energy policy

  • Strengthening European political parties

Electoral manifesto

As a central part of its campaign for the European elections in 2009 the EPP approved its election manifesto at its Congress in Warsaw in April that year. The manifesto called for:

  • Creation of new jobs, continuing reforms and investment in education, lifelong learning, and employment in order to create opportunities for everyone.

  • Avoidance of protectionism, and coordination of fiscal and monetary policies.

  • Increased transparency and surveillance in financial markets.

  • Making Europe the market leader in green technology.

  • Increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 20 per cent of the energy mix by 2020.;.

  • Family-friendly flexibility for working parents, better child care and housing, family-friendly fiscal policies, encouragement of parental leave.

  • A new strategy to attract skilled workers from the rest of the world to make Europe’s economy more competitive, more dynamic and more knowledge-driven.

The Fidesz-crisis

Controversy over the right-wing politics of the Hungarian Fidesz-leader Viktor Orbán caused a split in the EPP in the run-up of the 2019 European Parliament election.[15] On the one hand the EPP had been reluctant for years to address Fidesz's stance against the rule of law, expressed by the Article 7 proceedings of the European Parliament. On the other hand European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a prominent EPP-member, stated “I believe his [Fidesz’s] place is not in the European People’s Party”.[16] Orbán’s campaigns targeting billionaire George Soros[17] and Jean-Claude Juncker[18] carried wide reverberations for Europe questioning the EPP’s effort to install its lead candidate Manfred Weber as the next Commission president.[19]

After years of deferring a decision about the Fidesz issue,[20] the EPP was eventually compelled to address the problem two months before the 2019 European elections, as 13 outraged member parties requested the Hungarian party's exclusion from the EPP due to its billboard campaign featuring Jean-Claude Juncker. 190 of the 193 EPP delegates decided on 20 March 2019 to partially suspend Fidesz membership. According to this, Fidesz is "until further notice" excluded from EPP meetings and internal elections, but remains in the European People's Party group of the European Parliament. Fidesz has not delivered on its earlier promise to leave the EPP in case of a penalty.[21]

Governance

The EPP operates as an international non-profit association under Belgian law according to its by-laws, the Statutes of the European People's Party (Statuts du Parti Populaire Européen), originally adopted 29 April 1976.

Presidency

President of the EPP Joseph Daul

President of the EPP Joseph Daul

The Presidency is the executive body of the party. It decides on the general political guidelines of the EPP and presides over its Political Assembly. The Presidency is composed of the President, ten Vice-Presidents, the Honorary Presidents, the Secretary General and the Treasurer. The Chairperson of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, the Presidents of the Commission, the Parliament and the Council, and the High Representative (if they are a member of an EPP member party) are all ex officio Vice-Presidents.

As of 2015 the Presidency[22] of the EPP comprised:

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/23px-Flag_of_France.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/35px-Flag_of_France.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/45px-Flag_of_France.svg.png 2x|France|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Joseph Daul – President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/23px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/35px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/45px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png 2x|Spain|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White – Secretary General

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/23px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/35px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/46px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png 2x|Germany|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Christian Schmidt – Treasurer

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/23px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/35px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/46px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png 2x|Germany|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] David McAllister – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_Austria.svg/23px-Flag_of_Austria.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_Austria.svg/35px-Flag_of_Austria.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_Austria.svg/45px-Flag_of_Austria.svg.png 2x|Austria|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Johannes Hahn – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png 2x|Finland|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Jyrki Katainen - Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png 2x|Italy|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Antonio Tajani – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg/45px-Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg.png 2x|Belgium|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Marianne Thyssen– Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 2x|Poland|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Rafał Trzaskowski – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Flag_of_Hungary.svg/23px-Flag_of_Hungary.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Flag_of_Hungary.svg/35px-Flag_of_Hungary.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Flag_of_Hungary.svg/46px-Flag_of_Hungary.svg.png 2x|Hungary|h12|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Kinga Gál – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Flag_of_Ireland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Ireland.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Flag_of_Ireland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Ireland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Flag_of_Ireland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Ireland.svg.png 2x|Republic of Ireland|h12|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Dara Murphy – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/23px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/35px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/45px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png 2x|Portugal|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Paulo Rangel – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/45px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png 2x|Netherlands|h15|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Corien Wortmann-Kool – Vice-President

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg/23px-Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg/35px-Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg/46px-Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg.png 2x|Luxembourg|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Jean-Claude Juncker – Ex officio Vice-President (President of European Commission)

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png 2x|Poland|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Donald Tusk – Ex officio Vice-President (President of the European Council)

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/23px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/35px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/46px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png 2x|Germany|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Manfred Weber – Ex officio Vice-President (Chairperson of the EPP Group in European Parliament)

  • [[INLINE_IMAGE|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png|//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/35px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/46px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png 2x|Finland|h14|w23|thumbborder flagicon-img flagicon-img]] Sauli Niinistö - Honorary President

Political Assembly

The Political Assembly defines the political positions of the EPP between Congresses, and decides on membership applications, political guidelines and the budget. The Political Assembly is composed of designated delegates from EPP member parties, associated parties, member associations and other affiliated groups. The Political Assembly meets at least three times a year.

Congress

The Congress is the highest decision-making body of the EPP. It is composed of delegates from member parties, EPP associations, EPP Group MEPs, the EPP Presidency, national heads of party and government, and European Commissioners who belong to a member party, with the numbers of delegates being weighted according to the EPP's share of MEPs, and individual delegates being elected by member parties according to member parties' rules.[23]

Under the EPP's statutes the Congress must meet once every three years, but it also meets normally during the years of elections for the European Parliament (every five years), and extraordinary Congresses have also been summoned. The Congress elects the EPP Presidency every three years, decides on the main policy documents and electoral programmes, and provides a platform for the EPP's heads of government and party leaders.

Activities within the party

Summit

EPP leaders meet for the EPP Summit a few hours before each meeting of the European Council in order to formulate common positions. Invitations are sent by the EPP President and attendees include, besides the members of the EPP's Presidency, all Presidents and Prime Ministers who are members of the European Council and belong to the EPP; the Presidents of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council, as well as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, provided that they belong to the EPP; Deputy Prime Ministers or other ministers in those cases where the Prime Minister of a country does not belong to an EPP member party; and, where no EPP member party is part of a government, the leaders of the main EPP opposition party.

Ministerial meetings

Following the pattern of the EPP Summit the party also organises regular EPP Ministerial meetings before each meeting of the Council of the European Union, with ministers, deputy ministers, secretaries of state and MEPs in the specific policy field attending:

  • General Affairs

  • Foreign Affairs

  • Economy and Finance

  • Home Affairs

  • Justice

  • Defence

  • Employment and Social Affairs

  • Industry

  • Agriculture

  • Energy

  • Environment[24]

Other activities

The EPP also organises working groups on different issues and on an ad hoc basis, as well as meetings with its affiliated members in the European Commission. It also invites individual Commissioners to the EPP Summit meetings and to EPP Ministerial meetings.

Following amendments to the EU Regulation that governs Europarties in 2007, the EPP, like the other "Europarties", is responsible for organising a pan-European campaign for the European elections every five years. According to the Lisbon Treaty, the parties must present candidates for President of the European Commission, but the EPP had already done this by endorsing Jose Manuel Barroso for a second term in April 2009.

The year 2014 saw the first fully fledged campaign of the EPP ahead of the European elections of that year. The party nominated former Luxembourgish Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker as its candidate for President of the European Commission and led a pan-European campaign in coordination with the national campaigns of all its member parties.

Activities within European institutions

The EPP holds the Presidencies of two of the three main EU institutions: the European Commission, led by President Jean-Claude Juncker (CSV), and the European Council, led by Donald Tusk (PO), who has been nominated by the EPP and took office 1 December 2014.

Overview of the European institutions

OrganisationInstitutionNumber of seats
European UnionEuropean Parliament
172 / 751
Committee of the Regions
125 / 350
European Commission
14 / 28
European Council
(Heads of Government)
9 / 28
Council of the European Union
(Participation in Government)
12 / 28

European Commission

In 2014 the EPP nominated Jean-Claude Juncker as its candidate for election as President of the European Commission. As the EPP won the 2014 European Parliament election, Juncker's nomination was endorsed by the European Council and he was elected by an absolute majority in the European Parliament. On 1 November 2014 the Juncker Commission officially took office. It includes 14 EPP officeholders out of 28 European Commissioners.

StateCommissionerPortfolioPolitical partyPortrait
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
JunckerJean-Claude JunckerPresidentCSVIoannes Claudius Juncker die 7 Martis 2014.jpg
Finland
Finland
KatainenJyrki KatainenEuropean Commissioner for Jobs, Growth, Investment and CompetitivenessVice-President European Commissioner for Industry and EntrepreneurshipKOJyrki Katainen in June 2013 (cropped).jpg
Poland
Poland
BieńkowskaElżbieta BieńkowskaEuropean Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsInternal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsPOElżbieta Bieńkowska Kancelaria Senatu.jpg
Latvia
Latvia
DombrovskisValdis DombrovskisEuropean Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the EuroUnityValdis Dombrovskis 2009.jpg
Belgium
Belgium
ThyssenMarianne ThyssenEuropean Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour MobilityCD&VMarianeThyssen.jpg
Hungary
Hungary
NavracsicsTibor NavracsicsEuropean Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and SportFideszNavracsics Tibor Portrait.jpg
Spain
Spain
CañeteMiguel Arias CañeteEuropean Commissioner for Climate Action and EnergyPPMiguel Arias Cañete (cropped) (2).jpg
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
GeorgievaKristalina GeorgievaVice-President European Commissioner for the Budget and Human ResourcesGERBKristalina Georgieva (7).jpg
Germany
Germany
OettingerGünther OettingerEuropean Commissioner for Digital Economy and SocietyCDUGuenther h oettinger 2007.jpg
Austria
Austria
HahnJohannes HahnEuropean Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement NegotiationsÖVPJohannesHahnPortrait.jpg
Republic of Ireland
Ireland
HoganPhil HoganEuropean Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentFGPhil Hogan (37485195082).jpg
Portugal
Portugal
MoedasCarlos MoedasEuropean Commissioner for Research, Science and InnovationPPD-PSDCarlos Moedas (cropped).JPG
Cyprus
Cyprus
HoganChristos StylianidesEuropean Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis ManagementDISYChristos Stylianides Commissioner
Greece
Greece
AvramopoulosDimitris AvramopoulosEuropean Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and CitizenshipNew DemocracyD Avramopoulos at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.jpg

European Parliament

The EPP has the largest group in the European Parliament: the EPP Group. As of 2015 it has 216 Members of the European Parliament and its chairman is the German MEP Manfred Weber.

In every election for the European Parliament candidates elected on lists of member parties of the EPP are obliged to join the EPP Group in the European Parliament.

The EPP Group holds six of the fourteen vice-presidencies of the European Parliament.

European Council

The EPP has 8 out of the 28 heads of state or government attending the EPP summits in preparation for the European Council (as of 1 July 2018):

Member stateRepresentativeTitlePolitical partyMember of the Council sincePortrait
BulgariaBoyko BorissovPrime MinisterGERB7 November 2014Boyko Borisov EPP 2014.jpg
CroatiaAndrej PlenkovićPrime MinisterHDZ19 October 2016Andrej Plenković 2017.jpg
CyprusNicos AnastasiadesPresidentDISY28 February 2013ANASTASIADES Nicos.jpg
GermanyAngela MerkelChancellorCDU22 November 2005Angela Merkel Juli 2010 - 3zu4.jpg
HungaryViktor OrbánPrime MinisterFidesz29 May 2010OrbanViktor 2011-01-07.jpg
IrelandLeo VaradkarTaoiseach[1]Fine Gael22 June 2017Leo Varadkar 2016.jpg
RomaniaKlaus IohannisPresidentPNL21 December 2014Klaus Iohannis Senate of Poland 2015 02 (cropped 2).JPG

The EPP also has other heads of state or government who do not normally take part in the European Council or EPP summits since that responsibility belongs to the other leaders of their countries: János Áder (Hungary, Fidesz), Sauli Niinistö (Finland, KOK).

National legislatures

CountryInstitutionNumber of seats
AustriaNational Council
Lower house
50 / 183
Federal Council
Upper house
22 / 62
BelgiumChamber of Representatives
Lower house
27 / 150
Senate
Upper house
12 / 60
BulgariaNational Assembly
95 / 240
CroatiaSabor
55 / 151
CyprusHouse of Representatives
18 / 56
Czech RepublicChamber of Deputies
Lower house
23 / 200
Senate
Upper house
34 / 81
DenmarkThe Folketing
6 / 179
EstoniaRiigikogu
12 / 101
FinlandParliament
38 / 200
FranceNational Assembly
Lower house
100 / 577
Senate
Upper house
142 / 348
GermanyBundestag
310 / 630
GreeceParliament
158 / 300
HungaryOrszággyűlés
133 / 199
IrelandDáil
Lower house
50 / 166
Seanad
Upper house
19 / 60
ItalyChamber of Deputies
Lower house
106 / 630
Senate
Upper house
65 / 315
LatviaSaeima
8 / 100
LithuaniaSeimas
31 / 141
LuxembourgChamber of Deputies
23 / 60
MaltaHouse of Representatives
28 / 69
NetherlandsHouse of Representatives
Lower house
19 / 150
Senate
Upper house
12 / 75
PolandSejm
Lower house
152 / 460
Senate
Upper house
33 / 100
PortugalAssembly of the Republic
107 / 230
RomaniaChamber of Deputies
Lower house
108 / 329
Senate
Upper house
47 / 136
SlovakiaNational Council
11 / 150
SloveniaNational Assembly
25 / 90
SpainCongress of Deputies
Lower house
66 / 350
Senate
Upper house
74 / 266
SwedenRiksdag
92 / 349
United KingdomHouse of Commons
Lower house
0 / 650
House of Lords
Upper house
0 / 793

Activities beyond the European Union

In third countries

Through its associate and observer parties the EPP has one head of state or government in non-EU countries:

StateRepresentativesTitlePolitical partyIn power sincePortrait
NorwayErna SolbergPrime MinisterHøyre16 October 201331.08.2013, Erna Solberg.2.jpg
Bosnia and HerzegovinaŠefik DžaferovićBosniak Member of the PresidencySDA20 November 2018Sefik Dzaferovic.jpg
MoldovaMaia SanduPrime MinisterPAS8 June 2019Maia Sandu - EPP Summit - June 2017 (35463818515) (cropped).jpg

The EPP also has other heads of state or government who do not normally attend the meetings, since the other leaders of their countries attend instead. They include Prime Minister Denis Zvizdić (Bosnia-Herzegovina, SDA) and President Gjorge Ivanov (Republic of North Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE).

In the Council of Europe

The Group of the EPP in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe defends freedom of expression and information, as well as freedom of movement of ideas and religious tolerance. It promotes the principle of subsidiarity and local autonomy, as well as the defence of national, social and other minorities. The EPP/CD Group is led by Pedro Agramunt, a member of the Spanish Popular Party.

The EPP/CD group also includes members from parties that are not related to the EPP itself, including members of the Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein), the Progressive Citizens' Party (Liechtenstein), the National and Democratic Union (Monaco) and the Serbian Progressive Party.[25]

In the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

The "EPP and like-minded Group" in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the most active political group in that body. The Group meets on a regular basis and promotes the EPP's positions. The members of the EPP Group also participate in the election-monitoring missions of the OSCE.

The Group is chaired by Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden), and its Vice-Presidents are Consiglio Di Nino (Canada), Vilija Aleknaitė Abramikiene (Lithuania), Laura Allegrini (Italy) and George Tsereteli (Georgia).

The Group also includes members of parties not related to the EPP, accounting for the "like-minded" part of its name. Among them are members of the Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein), the Union for the Principality (Monaco), the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, the Conservative Party of Canada and the Republican Party of the United States.

In the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

From left to right: López-Istúriz, McCain & Martens

From left to right: López-Istúriz, McCain & Martens

The EPP is also present and active in the Parliamentary Assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and forms the "EPP and Associated Members" Group there. It is led by the German CDU politician Karl Lamers, who is also the current President of the Assembly. The Group also includes members of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Republican Party of the United States.

Relations with the United States

The EPP has close relations with the International Republican Institute (IRI), an organisation funded by the U.S. government specially to promote democracy and democratisation. The EPP and the IRI cooperate within the framework of the European Partnership Initiative.[26]

The EPP's late President, Wilfried Martens, endorsed Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, in the presidential election in 2008[27] McCain is also Chairman of the IRI. In 2011 Martens and McCain made joint press statements expressing their concern about the state of democracy in Ukraine.[28][29]

Global networks

The EPP is the European wing of two global centre-right organisations, the International Democrat Union (IDU) and the Christian Democrat International (CDI).

Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

Following the revision in 2007 of the EU Regulation that governs European political parties, allowing the creation of European foundations affiliated to Europarties, the EPP established in the same year its official foundation/think tank, the Centre for European Studies (CES). The CES includes as members all the major national think tanks and foundations affiliated to EPP member parties: the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (CDU), the Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSU), the Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies (PP), the Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy (ND), the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation (MOD), the Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and others. During the European Parliament election campaign in 2009 the CES launched a web-based campaign module, tellbarroso.eu, to support Jose Manuel Barroso, the EPP's candidate for re-election as Commission President.

In 2014, to honour Wilfried Martens - the late President of the EPP who was also President of the CES - the CES changed its name to Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies or Martens Centre.

The current President of the Martens Centre is former Slovak Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda.

The Budapest-based Robert Schuman Institute and the Luxembourg-based Robert Schuman Foundation are also affiliated with the European People's Party.

EPP associations

The EPP is linked to several specific associations that focus on specific groups and organise seminars, forums, publications and other activities.

Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Europe (SME Europe)

SME Europe is the official business organisation of the EPP, and serves as a network for pro-business politicians and political organisations. Its main objective is to shape EU policy in a more SME-friendly way in close cooperation with the SME Circle of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, the DG Enterprise and the pro-business organisations of the EPP's member parties. Its top priorities are to reform the legal framework for SMEs all over Europe, and to promote and support the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises. SME Europe was founded in May 2012 by three Members of the European Parliament, Paul Rübig, Nadezhda Neynsky and Bendt Bendtsen.

European Democrat Students

European Democrat Students (EDS) is now the official students’ organisation of the EPP, though it was founded in 1961, 15 years before the EPP itself. Led by Virgilio Falco, EDS has 40 member organisations, representing nearly 1,600,000 students and young people[30] in 31 countries, including Belarus and Georgia. Every year EDS hosts Summer and Winter "universities", and several seminars. It also regularly publishes a magazine, Bullseye, and organises topical campaigns.

European Senior Union

Founded in Madrid in 1995 and led by Ann Hermans of the CD&V, the European Senior Union (ESU) is the largest political senior citizens’ organisation in Europe. The ESCU is represented in 26 states with 45 organisations and about 500,000 members.

European Union of Christian Democratic Workers

The European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW) is the labour organisation of the EPP, with 24 member organisations in 18 different countries. As the officially recognised EPP association of workers, the EUCDW is led by Elmar Brok, MEP. It aims at the political unification of a democratic Europe, the development of the EPP on the basis of Christian social teaching, and the defence of workers' interests in European policy-making.

Women of the European People’s Party

The Women of the European People’s Party (EPP Women) is recognised by the EPP as the official association of women from all like-minded political parties of Europe. EPP Women has more than 40 member organisations from countries of the European Union and beyond. All of them are women‘s organisations of political parties that are members of the EPP. EPP Women is led by Doris Pack.

Youth of the European People’s Party

The Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP), led by Lídia Pereira, is the EPP‘s official youth organisation. It has 64 member organisations, bringing together between one and two million young people in 40 countries.

Membership

Within the EPP there are three kinds of member organisations: full members, associate members and observers. Full members are parties from EU states. They have absolute rights to vote in all the EPP's organs and on all matters. Associate members have the same voting rights as full members except for matters concerning the EU's structure or policies. These associate membres are parties from EU candidate countries and EFTA countries. Observer parties can participate in all the activities of the EPP, and attend the Congresses and Political Assemblies, but they do not have any voting rights.

A special status of "supporting member" is granted by the Presidency to individuals and associations. Although they do not have voting rights, they can be invited by the President to attend meetings of certain organs of the party. Three EU Commissioners, Dacian Cioloș, Kristalina Georgieva and Andris Piebalgs, are members of the EPP even though they do not belong to any national member party.

Full member parties

CountryParty nameAbbr.Legislature lower house seatsLegislature upper house SeatsStatus
AustriaAustrian People's Party
Österreichische Volkspartei
ÖVP
61 / 183
22 / 61
Technical Government
BelgiumChristian Democratic and Flemish
Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams
CD&V
18 / 150
8 / 60
Government
Humanist Democratic Centre
Centre démocrate humaniste
cdH
9 / 150
4 / 60
Opposition
BulgariaCitizens for the European Development of Bulgaria
Граждани за европейско развитие на България
Grazhdani za evropeĭsko razvitie na Bŭlgariya
GERB
95 / 240
Government
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria
Демократи за силна България
Demokrati za silna Bălgarija
DSB
0 / 240
No Status
Union of Democratic Forces
Съюз на демократичните сили
Sayuz na demokratichnite sili
SDS
0 / 240
No Status
Democratic Party
Демократическа партия
Demokraticheska partia
DP
0 / 240
No Status
Movement "Bulgaria of the Citizens"
Движение „България на гражданите“
Dvizhenie „Bulgariya na grazhdanite“
BCM
0 / 240
No Status
CroatiaCroatian Democratic Union
Hrvatska demokratska zajednica
HDZ
55 / 151
Government
CyprusDemocratic Rally
Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός
Dimokratikós Sinagermós
DISY
18 / 56
Government
Czech RepublicChristian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party
Křesťanská a demokratická unie – Československá strana lidová
KDU–ČSL
10 / 200
16 / 81
Opposition
TOP 09
7 / 200
2 / 81
Opposition
DenmarkConservative People's Party
Det Konservative Folkeparti
C
6 / 179
Government
Christian Democrats
Kristendemokraterne
KD
0 / 179
No Status
EstoniaPro Patria
Isamaa
I
12 / 101
Government
FinlandNational Coalition Party
Kansallinen Kokoomus
Samlingspartiet
KOK
38 / 200
Government
FranceThe Republicans
Les Républicains
LR
112 / 577
144 / 348
Opposition
GermanyChristian Democratic Union
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands
CDU
200 / 709
Government
Christian Social Union in Bavaria
Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern
CSU
46 / 709
Government
GreeceNew Democracy
Νέα Δημοκρατία
Nea Dimokratia
ND
158 / 300
Government
HungaryChristian Democratic People's Party
Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt
KDNP
16 / 199
Government
IrelandFine Gael
50 / 158
19 / 60
Government
ItalyForza ItaliaFI
104 / 630
61 / 315
Opposition
Popular Alternative
Alternativa Popolare
AP
2 / 630
1 / 315
Opposition
Union of the Centre
Unione di Centro
UdC
0 / 630
3 / 315
Opposition
Populars for Italy
Popolari per l'Italia
PpI
0 / 630
0 / 315
No Status
LatviaNew Unity
Vienotība
JV
8 / 100
Government
LithuaniaHomeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats
Tėvynės sąjunga – Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai
TS-LKD
31 / 141
Opposition
LuxembourgChristian Social People's Party
Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei
Parti populaire chrétien social
Christlich Soziale Volkspartei
CSV/PSC
23 / 60
Opposition
MaltaNationalist Party
Partit Nazzjonalista
28 / 67
Opposition
NetherlandsChristian Democratic Appeal
Christen-Democratisch Appèl
CDA
19 / 150
12 / 75
Government
PolandCivic Platform
Platforma Obywatelska
PO
136 / 460
33 / 100
Opposition
Polish People's Party
Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe
PSL
15 / 460
0 / 100
Opposition
PortugalSocial Democratic Party
Partido Social Democrata
PSD
89 / 230
Opposition
Democratic and Social Centre - People's Party
Centro Democrático e Social – Partido Popular
CDS-PP
18 / 230
Opposition
RomaniaNational Liberal Party
Partidul Național Liberal
PNL
69 / 329
30 / 136
Opposition
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség
Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România
UDMR
21 / 329
9 / 136
Opposition
(Government Support)
People's Movement Party
Partidul Mișcarea Populară
PMP
18 / 329
8 / 136
Opposition
SlovakiaChristian Democratic Movement
Kresťanskodemokratické hnutie
KDH
0 / 150
No Status
Most–Híd
15 / 150
Government
Party of the Hungarian Community
Magyar Közösség Pártja
Strana maďarskej komunity
SMK/MKP
0 / 150
No Status
SloveniaSlovenian Democratic Party
Slovenska demokratska stranka
SDS
25 / 90
Opposition
Slovenian People's Party
Slovenska ljudska stranka
SLS
0 / 90
No Status
New Slovenia–Christian Democrats
Nova Slovenija – Krščanski demokrati
NSi
7 / 90
Opposition
SpainPeople's Party
Partido Popular
PP
66 / 350
74 / 266
Opposition
SwedenModerate Party
Moderata samlingspartiet
M
70 / 349
Opposition
Christian Democrats
Kristdemokraterna
KD
22 / 349
Opposition

Suspended members

  • Fidesz (as of 20 March 2019)[31]

Associate members

Albania

  • Democratic Party of Albania (PDSh)

North Macedonia

  • Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO–DPMNE)

  • Conservative Party (H)

Serbia

  • Serbian Progressive Party (SNS)

  • Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ/SVM)

Switzerland

  • Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP)

Observer members

Armenia

  • Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)

  • Rule of Law (OEK)

  • Heritage

Belarus

  • Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD)

  • United Civic Party of Belarus (AHP)

  • The Movement for Freedom (MFF) [32]

  • Party of Democratic Action (SDA)

  • Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZBiH)

  • Party of Democratic Progress (PDP)

  • Croatian Democratic Union 1990 (HDZ 1990)

Finland

  • Christian Democrats (KD)

Georgia

  • United National Movement (UNM)

  • European Georgia

  • South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)

  • Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party

Kosovo

  • Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK)

  • Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM)

  • Dignity and Truth Platform Party (PPDA)

  • Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS)

  • Christian People's Party (KrF)

  • Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party (PDCS)

Ukraine

  • Democratic Alliance

  • European Solidarity[33]

  • Fatherland (since 2008)

  • Self Reliance (since 2019)[34]

  • Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR)

Former members

Belarus

  • Belarusian Popular Front (BNF), observer member until 2017

  • Centre of Social Democrats[35]

  • Union for French Democracy[35]

  • Rally for the Republic[35]

  • Union for a Popular Movement[35]

Croatia

  • Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), member until withdrawal May 2019.

  • Christian Democracy[35]

  • Italian People's Party[35]

  • Christian Democratic Centre[35]

  • United Christian Democrats[35]

  • Italian Renewal[35]

  • Forza Italia[35]

  • Union of Democrats for Europe[35]

  • The People of Freedom[35]

  • New Centre-Right

Romania

  • Democratic Party (PD)

  • Democratic Liberal Party (PDL)

  • Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (PNȚ-CD)

  • Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party (SDKÚ-DS)

Spain

  • Basque Nationalist Party[35]

  • People's Democratic Party[35]

Turkey

  • Justice and Development Party (observer)

Ukraine

  • People's Movement of Ukraine (observer)

  • Our Ukraine (observer)

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