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Political Parties

Future Leaders

 

 

European People’s Party

The Group of the European People’s Party (EPP Group), the party of Christian Democrats, was the first-ever transnational political party to be formed at European level and dates back to 1952. It is nowadays the largest party in the European Parliament with 271 Members.

The formal establishment of the European People’s Party (EPP) took place in 1976 with member parties from Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The platform was the result of considerable consensus and expressed a common intention to promote integration in the context of the European Community, leading to a political union equipped with federal and democratic institutions. EPP since its birth strives for a democratic, transparent and efficient Europe that is close to its citizens. EPP wants a prosperous Europe through the promotion of a free market economy with a social consciousness.

Its political views can be characterised as a mixture of centre and centre-right ideas. Their policy revolves mostly around the following issues that are set as a priority: strengthening and promoting the values of Europe, promoting growth and development through solidarity and reform of EU’s financing and strengthening EU’s security by fighting against terrorism, developing a coherent immigration policy, reforming EU’s energy policy towards a sustainable development and ensuring food and water security.

Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)

 

 

 

Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) is the political group of the Party of European Socialists and allied social-democratic parties. The present name was adopted only in 2009 but the group dates back to 1953 and the beginning of the European Parliament, having used various different names. The group continued through the creation of the appointed Parliament in 1958 and, when the Parliament became an elected body in 1979 following the first European election, the group became the largest in terms of returned MEPs. Until the 1999 European election it was the largest group in Parliament. S&D is currently the second-largest group in the European Parliament.

Its first priority is the boosting of the European economy through better coordination and crisis management and a new system that will call for the financial institutions responsible for the recession to pay the biggest share of the cost. S & D’s policy is further concentrated on employment rights, working conditions and social services. Last but not least, they uphold the need for a Greener Europe and the increase of its competitiveness in the global market.

Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament

 

 

Progressive Alliance of Liberals and Democrats

The Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) is the current liberal centrist political group of the European Parliament. It is made up of MEPs from two European political parties, the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party, which collectively form the Alliance. ALDE is one of the three oldest Groups, dating its unofficial origin back to September 1952 and the first meeting of the Parliament’s predecessor, the Common Assembly. Founded as an explicitly Liberal Group, it has expanded its remit to cover all the different centrist traditions of each new Member State’s Liberal Party, as they accede to the Union and the Liberal Alliance, progressively changing under the Convergence process. It is the third-largest Group in the Parliament holding the balance of power between the left and right.

The group currently comprises 86 Members of the European Parliament from 21 countries.  ALDE is in favour of the EU working a decentralised manner and its policy mostly concentrates on the creation of an effective, transparent and accountable institutional framework, budget reform and reinvestment of European funds, the work of EU with respect to the principle of subsidiarity, the promotion of civil liberties, justice and security, a stable economic growth and development of employment as well as green economy and sustainable development.

Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

 

 

Greens – European Free Alliance

The Greens, a new political force that emerged in the 70s in several European countries, entered the European political stage for the first time in 1984, when the first Green Members of the European Parliament were elected at the second direct elections to the European Parliament. Politically they engage in the fight against environmental pollution, nuclear energy and the promotion of animal protection always with the view to support the core of the Green democratic values. Greens are today an established force in European politics, having been represented in the European Parliament for the last six direct elections, 1984-1989, 1989-1994, 1994-1999, 1999-2004, 2004-2009, 2009-2014 playing a decisive role in European Union’s policy making actions through European Parliament.

Environment and environmental justice, sustainable development and ecological values are the issues that the party is primarily working on and shape their political choices. The Greens, however, are not limited to environmental issues. Their projects include crisis resolution through peaceful means, promotion of democracy and fundamental human rights, promotion of equality and non discrimination, employment et alia.

The Greens have a long standing alliance with the European Free Alliance (EFA), an alliance of regionalists and democratic nationalists, such as members of the Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party. Together, the Greens/EFA constitute the fourth largest political group in the European Parliament, with 58 MEPs from 15 countries.

Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance

 

 

guengl-logoGUE/NGL – Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left

GUE/NGL – this abbreviation stands for Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left. We are a group of 34 Members from 12 European Member States and 17 political parties.
Confederalism for us means respecting and preserving the diversity of identities and opinions of our members. What unites us is the vision of a socially equitable, peaceful and sustainable European integration process based on international solidarity. Europe can make a big contribution to improve the living conditions of many people – this requires a certain political will, of course.
The major policies of the European Union and its Countries have not reflected this vision thus far. This policy is too frequently based on a radically market-oriented logic of competition both within the EU and towards third countries. The European Union is not the victim of the current economic, financial, environmental and global food crisis but one of its motors.
We are fighting for more and better jobs and educational opportunities, for social security and social solidarity, for a respectful way to deal with our earth and its resources, for cultural exchange and diversity, for sustainable economic development and for a consistent and strong peace policy. These must constitute, from our point of view, the ultimate goals of the European integration process.
We see it as our mission to make the European Union more human, more transparent and more tangible. We want more direct democracy and active participation by citizens. The European Union must become a project of its people and cannot remain a project of the elites. We want equal rights for women and men, civil rights and liberties and the enforcement of human rights. Anti-Fascism and anti-racism are also a strong part of the tradition of left movements in Europe..