European People's Party Group
European People's Party Group
European People's Party parliamentary group | |
---|---|
European Parliament group | |
Name | European People's Party parliamentary group |
English abbr. | EPP (22 June 2009 to present) EPP-ED[1] (20 July 1999[2] to 22 June 2009) EPP[1] (17 July 1979[3] to 20 July 1999[2]) CD[2] (23 June 1953[3] to 17 July 1979[3]) |
French abbr. | PPE (22 June 2009 to present) PPE-DE[4] (20 July 1999[2] to 22 June 2009) PPE[3] (17 July 1979[3] to 20 July 1999[2]) DC[3] (23 June 1953[3] to 17 July 1979[3]) |
Formal name | Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) (22 June 2009 to present) Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats[4][5][6] (20 July 1999[2] to 22 June 2009) Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group)[7][3][8][9] (17 July 1979[3] to 20 July 1999[2]) Christian Democratic Group (Group of the European People's Party)[3][9] (14 March 1978[3] to 17 July 1979[3]) Christian Democratic Group[2][9] (23 June 1953[3] to 14 March 1978[3]) |
Ideology | Liberal conservatism[10] Conservatism[11] Christian democracy[10][11] Pro-Europeanism |
Political position | Centre-right |
European parties | European People's Party |
From | 11 September 1952 (unofficially)[12] 23 June 1953 (officially)[12] |
To | present |
Chaired by | Manfred Weber[13] |
MEP(s) | 182 / 751 |
Website | www.eppgroup.eu [72] |
The European People's Party group (EPP Group) is the political group in the European Parliament consisting of deputies (MEPs) from the member parties of the European People's Party (EPP), other unaffiliated national parties and independent deputies.[14][15][16] In this respect, there is a distinction between the European People's Party itself (a European-level party of centre-right national political parties from across Europe) and the EPP Group in the European Parliament, which is not limited to deputies that belong to EPP's member parties. The EPP mostly comprises politicians of Christian democratic, conservative and liberal-conservative orientation.[17][18][19]
The European People's Party was officially founded as a European political party in 1976. However, the European People's Party group in the European Parliament has existed in one form or another since June 1953, from the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community, making it one of the oldest European level political groups. Its size has given it influence in all the EU's institutions. It has been the largest political group in the European Parliament since 1999. In the European Council, 9 out of 28 Heads of State and Government belong to the EPP family and in the European Commission, 13 out of 27 Commissioners come from EPP parties.
European People's Party parliamentary group | |
---|---|
European Parliament group | |
Name | European People's Party parliamentary group |
English abbr. | EPP (22 June 2009 to present) EPP-ED[1] (20 July 1999[2] to 22 June 2009) EPP[1] (17 July 1979[3] to 20 July 1999[2]) CD[2] (23 June 1953[3] to 17 July 1979[3]) |
French abbr. | PPE (22 June 2009 to present) PPE-DE[4] (20 July 1999[2] to 22 June 2009) PPE[3] (17 July 1979[3] to 20 July 1999[2]) DC[3] (23 June 1953[3] to 17 July 1979[3]) |
Formal name | Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) (22 June 2009 to present) Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats[4][5][6] (20 July 1999[2] to 22 June 2009) Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group)[7][3][8][9] (17 July 1979[3] to 20 July 1999[2]) Christian Democratic Group (Group of the European People's Party)[3][9] (14 March 1978[3] to 17 July 1979[3]) Christian Democratic Group[2][9] (23 June 1953[3] to 14 March 1978[3]) |
Ideology | Liberal conservatism[10] Conservatism[11] Christian democracy[10][11] Pro-Europeanism |
Political position | Centre-right |
European parties | European People's Party |
From | 11 September 1952 (unofficially)[12] 23 June 1953 (officially)[12] |
To | present |
Chaired by | Manfred Weber[13] |
MEP(s) | 182 / 751 |
Website | www.eppgroup.eu [72] |
History
Logo of European People's Party Group from 1999 to 2015.
The Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (the predecessor of the present day European Parliament) first met on 10 September 1952[20] and the first Christian Democratic group was unofficially formed the next day, with Maan Sassen as President.[12][21] The group held 38 of the 78 seats, two short of an absolute majority.[12][22] On 16 June 1953 the Common Assembly passed a resolution[23] enabling the official formation of political groups, and on 23 June 1953 the constituent declaration[24] of the group was published and the group was officially formed.[12][22]
The Christian Democrat group was the biggest group at formation, but as time wore on it lost support and was the second-biggest group by the time of the 1979 elections. As the European Community expanded into the European Union, the dominant centre-right parties in the new member states were not necessarily Christian democratic, and the EPP (European People's Party, the pan-continental political party founded in 1976 which all group members are now affiliated to) feared being sidelined.[25] To counter this, the EPP expanded its remit to cover the centre-right regardless of tradition and pursued a policy of integrating liberal-conservative parties.[25]
This policy led to Greek New Democracy and Spanish People's Party MEPs joining the EPP Group.[25] The British Conservative Party and Danish Conservative People's Party tried to maintain a group of their own called the European Democrats (ED), but lack of support and the problems inherent in maintaining a small group forced ED's collapse in the 1990s, and its members crossed the floor to join the EPP Group.[25] The parties of these MEPs also became full members of the EPP (with the exception of the British Conservatives who did not join the Party) and this consolidation process of the European centre-right throughout the 1990s with the acquisition of members from the Italian party Forza Italia. However, the consolidation was not unalloyed and a split emerged with the Eurosceptic MEPs who congregated in a subgroup within the group, also called the European Democrats (ED).
Nevertheless, the consolidation held through the 1990s, assisted by the group being renamed to the European People's Party – European Democrats (EPP-ED) group, and after the 1999 European elections the EPP-ED reclaimed its position as the largest group in the Parliament from the Party of European Socialists (PES) group.
Size was not enough, however: the group did not have a majority. It continued therefore to engage in the Grand Coalition (a coalition with the PES Group, or occasionally the Liberals) to generate the majorities required by the cooperation procedure under the Single European Act. This coalition has held, although occasionally the group adopts a government-opposition dynamic with the other groups, notably during the budget crisis when it opposed the PES and brought about the resignation of the Santer Commission.
Meanwhile, the parties in the European Democrats subgroup were growing restless[26] and finally left following the 2009 elections, when the Czech Civic Democratic Party and British Conservative party formed their own right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group on 22 June 2009, abolishing the European Democrats subgroup from that date. The EPP-ED Group reverted to its original name – the EPP Group – immediately.
In the 7th European Parliament the EPP Group remains the largest parliamentary group with 275 MEPs. It is currently the only political group in the European parliament to fully represent its corresponding European political party, i.e. the European People's Party. The United Kingdom was the only member to not be represented in the group until 28 February 2018, when two MEPs suspended from the Conservative Party left the European Conservatives and Reformists and joined the EPP.[27] The two MEPs later joined a breakaway political party in the UK, The Independent Group.[28]
After 12 member parties in the EPP called for Fidesz's expulsion or suspension, Fidesz's membership was suspended.[29]
Membership at formation
The 38 members in the group on 11 September 1952 were as follows:
Member state | MEPs | Party | MEPs | Notes | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium | 5 | Christian Social Party | 5 |
| [20][30] |
France | 5 | Christian People's Party (Saar) | 2 |
| [20][30] |
Republican People's Movement | 3 |
| [20][30] | ||
Germany | 8 | Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union | 7cr |
| [20][30] |
Federal Union Party | 1 |
| [20][30] | ||
Italy | 12 | Christian Democracy | 12 |
| [20][30] |
Luxembourg | 2 | Christian Social People's Party | 2 |
| [20][30] |
Netherlands | 6 | Anti-Revolutionary Party | 2 |
| [20][30] |
Catholic People's Party | 3 |
| [20][30] | ||
Christian Historical Union | 1 |
| [20][30] |
Structure
Organisation
The EPP Group is governed by a collective (referred to as the Presidency) that allocates tasks. The Presidency consists of the Group Chair and a maximum of ten Vice-Chairs, including the Treasurer. The day-to-day running of the EPP Group is performed by its secretariat in the European Parliament, led by its Secretary-General. The Group runs its own think-tank, the European Ideas Network, which brings together opinion-formers from across Europe to discuss issues facing the European Union from a centre-right perspective.
The EPP Group Presidency includes:
Name | Position | Sources |
---|---|---|
Manfred Weber | Chair | [31] |
Lara Comi | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Esther de Lange | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Mariya Gabriel | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Esteban González Pons | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Françoise Grossetête | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Sandra Kalniete | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Marian-Jean Marinescu | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Paulo Rangel | Vice-Chair | [32] |
József Szájer | Vice-Chair | [32] |
Tadeusz Zwiefka | Vice-Chair | [32] |
The chairs of the group and its predecessors from 1952 to 18 September 2008 are as follows:
From | To | Chair | Member State | National party |
---|---|---|---|---|
1953 | 1958 | Maan Sassen | Netherlands | Catholic People's Party |
1958 | 1958 | Pierre Wigny | Belgium | Christian Social Party |
1958 | 1966 | Alain Poher | France | Popular Republican Movement |
1966 | 1969 | Joseph Illerhaus | West Germany | Christian Democratic Union |
1969 | 1975 | Hans Lücker | West Germany | Christian Democratic Union |
1975 | 1977 | Alfred Bertrand | Belgium | Christian People's Party |
1977 | 1982 | Egon Klepsch | West Germany | Christian Democratic Union |
1982 | 1984 | Paolo Barbi | Italy | Christian Democracy |
1984 | 1992 | Egon Klepsch | West Germany/Germany | Christian Democratic Union |
1992 | 1994 | Leo Tindemans | Belgium | Christian People's Party |
1994 | 1999 | Wilfried Martens | Belgium | Christian People's Party |
1999 | 2007 | Hans-Gert Pöttering | Germany | Christian Democratic Union |
2007 | 2014 | Joseph Daul | France | Union for a Popular Movement |
2014 | present | Manfred Weber | Germany | Christian Social Union in Bavaria |
Membership
9th European Parliament
The national parties that have Members of the EPP Group are as follows:
Country | Party | European party | MEPs | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Austrian People's Party Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) | EPP | 7 / 18 | |
Belgium | Christian Democratic and Flemish Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (CD&V) | EPP | 2 / 21 | |
Humanist Democratic Centre Centre Démocrate Humaniste (CDH) | EPP | 1 / 21 | ||
Christian Social Party Christlich Soziale Partei (CSP) | EPP | 1 / 21 | ||
Bulgaria | Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria Граждани за европейско развитие на България (GERB) | EPP | 5 / 17 | |
Union of Democratic Forces Съюз на демократичните сили (SDS) | EPP | 1 / 17 | ||
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria Демократи за силна България (DSB) | EPP | 1 / 17 | ||
Croatia | Croatian Democratic Union Hrvatska demokratska zajednica (HDZ) | EPP | 4 / 11 | |
Cyprus | Democratic Rally Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός (DISY) | EPP | 2 / 6 | |
Czech Republic | Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party Křesťanská a demokratická unie – Československá strana lidová (KDU–ČSL) | EPP | 2 / 21 | |
TOP 09 | EPP | 2 / 21 | ||
Mayors and Independents Starostové a nezávislí (STAN) | None | 1 / 21 | ||
Denmark | Conservative People's Party Konservative Folkeparti (KF) | EPP | 1 / 13 | |
Finland | National Coalition Party Kansallinen Kokoomus (KK) | EPP | 3 / 13 | |
France | The Republicans Les Républicains (LR) | EPP | 7 / 74 | |
The Centrists Les Centristes (LC) | None | 1 / 74 | ||
Germany | Christian Democratic Union Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (CDU) | EPP | 23 / 96 | |
Christian Social Union of Bavaria Christlich-Soziale Union In Bayern e.V. (CSU) | EPP | 6 / 96 | ||
Greece | New Democracy Νέα Δημοκρατία (ND) | EPP | 8 / 21 | |
Hungary | Fidesz | EPP | 12 / 21 | |
Christian Democratic People's Party Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt (KDNP) | EPP | 1 / 21 | ||
Ireland | Fine Gael | EPP | 4 / 11 | |
Italy | Forza Italia | EPP | 6 / 73 | |
South Tyrolean People's Party Südtiroler Volkspartei (SVP) | EPP | 1 / 73 | ||
Latvia | Unity Vienotība | EPP | 2 / 8 | |
Lithuania | Homeland Union Tėvynės Sąjunga (TS-LKD) | EPP | 3 / 11 | |
Aušra Maldeikienė (Independent) | Independent | 1 / 11 | ||
Luxembourg | Christian Social People's Party Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV) | EPP | 2 / 6 | |
Malta | Nationalist Party Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) | EPP | 2 / 6 | |
Netherlands | Christian Democratic Appeal Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) | EPP | 4 / 26 | |
Christian Union ChristenUnie (CU) | ECPM | 1 / 26 | ||
50PLUS (50+) | None | 1 / 26 | ||
Poland | Civic Platform Platforma Obywatelska (PO) | EPP | 12 / 51 | |
Polish People's Party Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (PSL) | EPP | 3 / 51 | ||
Janina Ochojska, Magdalena Adamowicz (Independent) | Independent | 2 / 51 | ||
Portugal | Social Democratic Party Partido Social Democrata (PSD) | EPP | 6 / 21 | |
Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party Centro Democrático e Social – Partido Popular (CDS–PP) | EPP | 1 / 21 | ||
Romania | National Liberal Party Partidul Național Liberal (PNL) | EPP | 10 / 32 | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség (RMDS) | EPP | 2 / 32 | ||
People's Movement Party Partidul Mișcarea Populară (PMP) | EPP | 2 / 32 | ||
Slovakia | TOGETHER – Civic Democracy SPOLU – občianska demokracia (SPOLU) | None | 2 / 13 | |
Christian Democratic Movement Kresťanskodemokratické Hnutie (KDH) | EPP | 1 / 13 | ||
Ordinary People and Independent Personalities Obyčajní Ľudia a nezávislé osobnosti (OĽaNO) | ECPM | 1 / 13 | ||
Slovenia | Slovenian Democratic Party Slovenska Demokratska Stranka (SDS) | EPP | 2 / 8 | |
New Slovenia – Christian Democrats Nova Slovenija – Krščanski demokrati (NSi) | EPP | 1 / 8 | ||
Slovenian People's Party Slovenska ljudska stranka (SLS) | EPP | 1 / 8 | ||
Spain | People's Party Partido Popular (PP) | EPP | 12 / 51 | |
Sweden | Moderate Party Moderata Samlingspartiet (M) | EPP | 4 / 20 | |
Christian Democrats Kristdemokraterna (KD) | EPP | 2 / 20 | ||
European Union | Total | 182 / 751 |
7th and 8th European Parliament
Country | Names | Names (English) | MEPs 2009–14 | MEPs 2014–19 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Austrian People's Party | 6 | 5 | |
Belgium | Dutch: Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams | Christian Democratic and Flemish | 3 | 2 |
French: Centre Démocrate Humaniste | Humanist Democratic Centre | 1 | 1 | |
German: Christlich Soziale Partei | Christian Social Party* | 1 | 1 | |
Bulgaria | Граждани за европейско развитие на България (*Grazhdani za Evropeysko Razvitie na Balgariya*) | Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria | 5 | 6 |
Съюз на демократичните сили (*Sayuz na Demokratichnite Sili*) | Union of Democratic Forces | 1 | 0 | |
Демократи за силна България (*Demokrati za Silna Balgariya*) | Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria | 1 | 1 | |
Croatia | Croatian Democratic Union | 4 | 4 | |
Croatian Peasant Party | 1 | 1 | ||
Cyprus | Greek:Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός (*Dimokratikós Sinayermós*) | Democratic Rally | 2 | 1 |
Czech Republic | Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | 2 | 3 | |
TOP 09 | TOP 09 | — | 3 | |
Mayors and Independents[33] | — | 1 | ||
Denmark | Conservative People's Party | 1 | 1 | |
Estonia | Pro Patria | 1 | 1 | |
Finland | National Coalition Party | 3 | 3 | |
Christian Democrats | 1 | 0 | ||
France | The Republicans | 27 | 18 | |
Union of Democrats and Independents | 6 | 0 | ||
— | Independent | — | 2 | |
Germany | Christian Democratic Union | 34 | 29 | |
Christian Social Union of Bavaria | 8 | 5 | ||
Greece | Νέα Δημοκρατία (*Néa Dimokratiá*) | New Democracy | 7 | 5 |
Hungary | Christian Democratic People's Party | 1 | 1 | |
Ireland | Fine Gael | Fine Gael | 4 | 4 |
Italy | Forza Italia (2013) | Forza Italia | 19 | 12 |
Popular Alternative | — | 1 | ||
Union of the Centre | 6 | 1 | ||
German: Südtiroler Volkspartei | South Tyrolean People's Party | 1 | 1 | |
Latvia | Unity | 4 | 4 | |
Lithuania | Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats | 4 | 2 | |
— | Independent | — | 1 | |
Luxembourg | Luxembourgish: Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei French: Parti Populaire Chrétien Social German: Christlich Soziale Volkspartei | Christian Social People's Party | 3 | 3 |
Malta | Nationalist Party | 2 | 3 | |
Netherlands | Christian Democratic Appeal | 5 | 5 | |
Poland | Civic Platform | 25 | 18 | |
Polish People's Party | 4 | 4 | ||
Portugal | Social Democratic Party | 8 | 6 | |
Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party | 2 | 1 | ||
Romania | National Liberal Party | 12 | 8 | |
Hungarian: Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség Romanian: Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România | Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 3 | 2 | |
People's Movement Party | — | — | ||
— | Independent | — | 2 | |
Slovakia | Christian Democratic Movement | 2 | 3 | |
Party of the Hungarian Community | 2 | 1 | ||
Most–Híd | Most–Híd | — | 1 | |
— | Independent | — | 1 | |
Slovenia | Slovenian Democratic Party | 3 | 3 | |
New Slovenia – Christian People's Party | 1 | 1 | ||
Slovenian People's Party | — | 1 | ||
Spain | Spanish: Partido Popular | People's Party | 24 | 16 |
— | Independent | — | 1 | |
Sweden | Moderate Party | 4 | 3 | |
Christian Democrats | 1 | 1 | ||
United Kingdom | Change UK (defection from Conservative Party/ECR)[34] | 0 | 1 | |
— | Renew Party (defection from Conservative Party/ECR)[35] | 0 | 1 | |
Total | 274 | 219 |
Activities
In the news
Activities performed by the group in the period between June 2004 and June 2008 include monitoring elections in Palestine[36] and the Ukraine;[37] encouraging transeuropean rail travel,[38] telecoms deregulation,[39] energy security,[40] a common energy policy,[41] the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Union,[42] partial reform of the CAP[43] and attempts to tackle illegal immigration;[44][45][46] denouncing Russian involvement in South Ossetia;[47][48][49][50][51] supporting the Constitution Treaty[52][53][54] and the Lisbon Treaty;[55][56] debating globalisation,[41][57] relations with China,[58] and Taiwan;[59] backing plans to outlaw Holocaust denial;[60] nominating Anna Politkovskaya for the 2007 Sakharov Prize;[61] expelling Daniel Hannan from the Group;[62] the discussion about whether ED MEPs should remain within EPP-ED or form a group of their own;[63][64][65] criticisms of the group's approach to tackling low turnout for the 2009 elections;[66] the group's use of the two-President arrangement;[67] and the group's proposal to ban the Islamic Burka dress EU wide.
Parliamentary activity profile
Group parliamentary activity profile, 1 August 2004 to 1 August 2008 (see description for sources). EPP-ED: 659 motions
The debates and votes in the European Parliament are tracked by its website[68] and categorized by the groups that participate in them and the rule of procedure that they fall into. The results give a profile for each group by category and the total indicates the group's level of participation in Parliamentary debates. The activity profile for each group for the period 1 August 2004 to 1 August 2008 in the Sixth Parliament is given on the diagram on the right. The group is denoted in blue.
The website shows the group as participating in 659 motions, making it the third most active group during the period.
Publications
The group produces many publications, which can be found on its website.[69] Documents produced in 2008 cover subjects such as dialogue with the Orthodox Church, study days, its strategy for 2008-09, Euro-Mediterranean relations, and the Treaty of Lisbon. It also publishes a yearbook and irregularly publishes a presentation, a two-page summary of the group.
Academic analysis
Along with the other political groups, the group has been analysed by academics on its positions regarding various issues. Those positions are summarised in this article. That article characterizes the group as a three-quarter male group that, prior to ED's departure, was only 80% cohesive and split between centre-right Europhiles (the larger EPP subgroup) and right-wing Eurosceptics (the smaller ED subgroup). That article characterized the group as a whole as ambiguous on hypothetical EU taxes, against taxation, Green issues, social liberal issues (LGBT rights, abortion, euthanasia) and full Turkish accession to the European Union, and for a deeper Federal Europe, deregulation, the Common Foreign and Security Policy and controlling migration into the EU.
See also
Members of the European Parliament 2014-2019
Movement for European Reform