by Carrie
Thu Dec 28th, 2006 at 10:01:23 AM EST
As we saw in Part I: the rules, there is a definition of European Political Party for the purposes of receiving EU funding. The operative clause seems to be
Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003
Article 3
Conditions
A political party at European level shall satisfy the following conditions:
...
(b) it must be represented, in at least one quarter of Member States, by Members of the European Parliament or in the national Parliaments or regional Parliaments or in the regional assemblies, or
it must have received, in at least one quarter of the Member States, at least three per cent of the votes cast in each of those Member States at the most recent European Parliament elections;
At least one quarter of the member states means 7 states. This is the reason why the Nordic Green Left (see below) doesn't qualify as a political party according to this definition: it is represented in too few member states.
Below the fold, a brief look at the currently recognised political parties, and some smaller but significant groupings. For the avoidance of doubt, this diary is about the European Political Parties, not about the European Parliament Groups (I expect to devote Part III to those), and the distinction is clearly made when appropriate. Also, these parties often include emmbers from outside the European Union, but those are irrelevant to the "funding" rule quoted above so are not listed and 27-state membership lists are already long enough.
From the diaries ~ whataboutbob
The European People's Party self-describes as
a family of the political centre-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilization of the European continent and has pioneered the European project from its inception. The EPP is a Christian Democrat (hence the reference to the "roots" of Europe) and Conservative grouping, and IMHO this means it has both feet firmly to the right of the centre.
The Party also boasts
69 member-parties from 37 countries, 16 heads of government (10 EU + 6 non-EU), 9 European Commissioners (including the President), and the largest Group in the European Parliament with 264 members
which makes it the "largest European-level party". Note, however, that the 264 MEPs in the parliamentary group include not only the EPP but the European Democrats (Conservative Eurosceptics, see below).
The EPP member parties in EU member states are:
- Germany:
- Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU) (Christian Democratic Union);
- Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (CSU) (Christian Social Union of Bavaria)
- France: Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) (Union for a Popular Movement)
- UK: no member party
- Italy:
- Forza Italia (FI) (Go on Italy);
- Popolari-UDEUR (UDEUR) (Democratic Union for Europe);
- Unione Democratici Cristiani di Centro (UDC) (Union of Christian Democratic and Democratics of Centre);
- Südtiroler Volkspartei (SVP) (South Tyrolean People's Party)
- Spain:
- Partido Popular (PP) (People's Party);
- Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (Democratic Union of Catalonia)
- Poland:
- Platforma Obywatelska (PO) (Citizens Platform);
- Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (PSL) (Polish Peasant Party)
- Romania:
- Partidul Popular Creştin-Democrat (PPCD) (Christian-Democratic People's Party);
- Partidul Democrat (PD) (Democratic Party);
- Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România (UDMR) / Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség (RMDSz) (Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania)
- Netherlands: Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) (Christian Democratic Appeal)
- Greece: Νέα Δημοκρατία (ND) (New Democracy)
- Portugal:
- Democratic and Social Center / People's Party (CDS/PP);
- Partido Social Democrata (PSD)(Social Democratic Party)
- Belgium:
- Centre démocrate humaniste (CDH) (Humanist democratic centre);
- Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic & Flemish);
- Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) (New Flemish Alliance)
- Czech Republic: Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová (KDU-CSL) (Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party)
- Hungary:
- Fidesz - Magyar Polgári Szövetség (Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Union);
- Magyar Demokrata Fórum (MDF) (Hungarian Democratic Forum)
- Sweden:
- Moderaterna (M) (The Moderate Party);
- Kristdemokraterna (KD) (Christian Democrats)
- Austria: Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) (Austrian Peoples Party)
- Bulgaria:
- Демократи за силна България (Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria);
- Съюз на Демократичните Сили (Union of Democratic Forces);
- Демократическа партия (DP) (Democratic Party);
- Български Земеделски Народен Съюз - Народен Съюз (Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union)
- Slovakia:
- Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia - Demokratická strana (SDKÚ-DS) (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party);
- Strana maďarskej koalície (SMK) / Magyar Koalíció Pártja (MKP) (Party of Hungarian Coalition);
- Krestanskodemokraticke hnutie (KDH) (Christian Democratic Movement of Slovakia)
- Denmark:
- Det Konservative Folkeparti (KF) (Conservative People's Party);
- Kristendemokraterne (Christian Democrats)
- Finland:
- Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK) (National Coalition Party);
- Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (SK) (Finnish Christian Democrats)
- Ireland: Fine Gael (FG) (Family of the Irish)
- Lithuania:
- Lietuvos Krikšcionys Demokratai (LKD) (Lithuanian Christian Democrats);
- Tėvynės sąjunga - Lietuvos konservatoriai (TS-LK) (Homeland Union (Lithuanian Conservative Party))
- Latvia:
- Tautas Partija (TP) (People's Party);
- Jaunais Laiks (JL) (New Era)
- Slovenia:
- Slovenska demokratska stranka (SDS) (Slovenian Democratic Party);
- Nova Slovenija Krščanska ljudska stranka (NSi) (New Slovenia);
- Slovenska ljudska stranka (SLS) (Slovenian People's Party)
- Estonia: Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica)
- Cyprus: Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός (Democratic Rally)
- Luxembourg: Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV) (Christian-Social People's Party)
- Malta: Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) (Nationalist Party)
Notes:
- Spain: the PP used its clout to block the Basque Nationalist (and Christian Democrat) PNV from joining the EPP. Also note that Unio is, in Spain, allied with Convergencia (a liberal party) in the coalition CiU, and that CiU has some good chances of joining the Socialist PSOE in the government after the next elections.
- Portugal: the EPP doesn't list the CDS/PP as a member, but wikipedia does include it. I have to admit Barroso and his "social democrats" had me fooled: I always assumed he was a Christian Democrat, until I learnt better recently... Now I know why.
- Belgium: the EPP doesn't list the N-VA as a member, but wikipedia does.
- Finland: the SK is currently an observer (not member) party
Neoliberal on the economy and neocon culture warriors on immigration and foreign policy, not to speak of their conservative (Christian) approach to social issues, to me these people are the enemy. Flame away.
The Party of the European Socialists is a coalition of socialist, social democratic and labour parties from 33 countries, including all EU members plus some others. They recently had their congress, which was diaried here by nanne:
The PES Plan for a New Social Europe (December 19th, 2006). It has its own (the second largest) European Parliament group, and
its member parties are as follows:
- Germany: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) Social Democratic Party of Germany
- France: Parti Socialiste (PS) Socialist Party
- UK:
- Labour Party
- (Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre (SDLP) Social Democratic and Labour Party of Northern Ireland
- Italy:
- Democratici di Sinistra (DS) Democrats of the Left;
- Socialisti Democratici Italiani (SDI) Italian Social Democrats
- Spain: Partido Socialista Obrero Espańol (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
- Poland:
- Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) Democratic Left Alliance;
- Unia Pracy (UP) Labour Union
- Romania: Partidul Social Democrat (PSD) Social Democrat Party
- Netherlands: Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA) Labour Party
- Greece: Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα (ΠΑΣΟΚ/PASOK) Panhellenic Socialist Movement
- Portugal: Partido Socialista (PS) Socialist Party
- Belgium:
- Socialistische Partij Anders (sp.a) Socialist Party - Different
- Parti Socialiste (PS) Socialist Party
- Czech Republic: Česká strana sociálně demokratická (ČSSD) Czech Social Democratic Party
- Hungary:
- Magyar Szocialista Párt (MSzP) Hungarian Socialist Party;
- Magyarországi Szociáldemokrata Párt (MSzDP) Social Democratic Party of Hungary
- Sweden: Socialdemokraterna
(Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti, SAP) Swedish Social Democratic Party
- Austria: Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) Social Democratic Party of Austria
- Bulgaria: Българска социалистическа партия (БСП/BSP) Bulgarian Socialist Party
- Slovakia: Smer – sociálna demokracia, Social Democracy
- Denmark: Socialdemokraterne, Social Democrats
- Finland: Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP) Finnish Social Democratic Party
- Ireland: Páirtí an Lucht Oibre, Irish Labour Party
- Lithuania: Lietuvos Socialdemokratų Partija (LSDP) Lithuanian Social Democratic Party
- Latvia: Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā Strādnieku Partija (LSDSP) Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
- Slovenia: Socialni demokrati (SD) Social Democracy
- Estonia: Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond (SDE) Social Democratic Party
- Cyprus: Κινήμα Σοσιαλδημοκρατών (ΕΔΕΚ/EDEK) Movement for Social Democracy
- Luxembourg: Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Arbechterpartei
/ Parti Ouvrier Socialiste Luxembourgeois (LSAP) Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
- Malta Partit Laburista (MLP) Malta Labour Party
Notes: Slovakia's Smer was suspended last October for entering a government coalition with the ultra-nationalist Slovak National Party.
The European Socialists have the heart in the right (er... left) place, but on economics they have completely capitulated to the neoliberal consensus, the pensée unique, the third way, or however you want to call it. And, quite apart from giving up the rose, who designed that logo? In many ways they seem spineless to me, when not positively clueless (as in the area of intellectual property and information technology). Regardless, I must confess to being a "captive voter" of Spain's PSOE: the most I will do is abstain, and I will happily vote for them to close the door to the PP. Now, living in the UK where the "allied party" is Labour, which under Blair properly belongs in the EPP, I get to reevaluate my political stance. As I still vote in national elections in Spain I don't have to worry about holding my nose to reelect a Blairite, and can happily vote for Zapatero who is behaving like a true revolutionary.
The European Liberal Democrats greet the visitor to their website with the slogan "30 years Energising Europe". I wonder whothey got that from...
The party
brings together political parties with common liberal, democratic and reform ideals from more than 30 European countries and claims to be "the first to create a European political family in 1976 in view of the first European elections". It is the third largest European Political Party, and together with the European Democratic Party (see below, not to be confused with the EPP-associated European Democrats) and others it forms the (also third largest) ALDE European Parliament group.
The ELDR's membership includes left-liberals, right-liberals and others. Here's the list:
- Germany: Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) Free Democratic Party
- France: Parti Radical de Gauche, Left Radical Party
- UK:
- Liberal Democrats
- Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
- Italy:
- Movimento Repubblicani Europei (MRE) European Republican Movement
- Radicali Italiani (Ired) Italian Radicals
- Partito Repubblicano Italiano (PRI) Italian Republican Party
- Italia dei Valori - Lista di Pietro (LDV) Italy of Values - Di Pietro List
- Spain:
- Convergčncia Democrŕtica de Catalunya, Democratic Convergence of Catalonia
- Unió Mallorquina, Mallorcan Union
- Poland: Partia Demokratyczna - demokraci.pl (PDem) Democratic Party - demokraci.pl
- Romania: Partidul Naţional Liberal (PNL) National Liberal Party
- Netherlands:
- Democraten 66 (D66) Democrats 66
- Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD) People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
- Greece: No member parties.
- Portugal: No member parties.
- Belgium:
- Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (VLD) Flemish Liberals and Democrats
- Mouvement Réformateur (MR) Reformist Movement
- Czech Republic: Obcanska demokraticka aliance (ODA) Civic Democratic Alliance
- Hungary: Szabad Demokraták Szövetsége (SzDSz) Alliance of Free Democrats
- Sweden:
- Centerpartiet, Centre Party
- Folkpartiet Liberalerna, Liberal People's Party
- Austria: Liberales Forum (LiF) Liberal Forum
- Bulgaria:
- Dvizhenie za prava i svobodi (MRF) Movement for Rights and Freedoms
- Nacionalno Dvizhenie Simeon Vtori (NMSS) National Movement for Simeon II
- Slovakia: Aliancia Nového Občana (ANO) Alliance of the New Citizen
- Denmark:
- Det Radikale Venstre, Radical Left - Social Liberal Party
- Venstre, Left - Liberal Party
- Finland:
- Suomen Keskusta, Centre Party of Finland
- Svenska Folkpartiet (SF) Swedish People's Party
- Ireland: Progressive Democrats (PD)
- Lithuania:
- Liberalų ir centro sąjunga (LaCU) Liberal and Centre Union
- Naujoji sąjunga (socialliberalai), New Union Social Liberals
- Lithuanian Republic Liberal movement (LRP)
- Latvia: Latvijas Ceļš (LC) Latvian Way
- Slovenia: Liberalna demokracija Slovenije (LDS) Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
- Estonia:
- Eesti Keskerakond (CPE) Centre Party of Estonia
- Eesti Reformierakond (ERP) Estonian Reform Party
- Cyprus: Enomeni Dimokrates, (UDM) United Democrats
- Luxembourg: Demokratesch Partei (DP-Lux) Democratic Party (Luxembourg)
- Malta: No member parties.
Notes:
- France: The Parti Radical de Gauche has observer status.
- UK: the Alliance Party is listed under Northern Ireland in the ELDR's website.
- Spain: Convergčncia, the senior party of Uniò (see EPP, above) in the CiU coalition, is listed under Catalonia in the ELDR's website.
- Denmark: Venstre (literally, 'left') was "to the left" at the end of the 19th century. Not having moved much, nowadays it is a right-liberal party. This explains why the left-liberal party needs to call itself 'the radical left'.
- Lithuania: the LRP is listed on the ELDR website, but with no additional information nor a link to a party website, and wikipedia doesn't record it.
By looking at some countries where more than one liberal party is a member of the ELDR (in particular, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, or Lithuania) it is clear that economic liberalism is the glue that holds the ELDR together, and that other dimensions such as social policy, or minority rights, are secondary. A number of non-ideological centre-populist ("reform") parties are members of ELDR, too. Personally, I am mildly sympathetic to the social-liberal parties, but as redstar says in the comments, you have to be judged by the company you keep.
The European Free Alliance
unites progressive, nationalist, regionalist and autonomist parties in the European Union which "subscribe the right of peoples to self-determination and adhere to the principles of parliamentary democracy and human rights". These are left-nationalist parties whose
Nation doesn't have a separate
State. The nationalist parties representing nation states, and those on the right, are in the eurosceptic Europe Of the Nations party (see below). The EFA forms a European Parliament group together with the European Greens (see below).
The list of member parties is below, arranged by State and Nationality/region:
- Germany: No member parties
- France:
- Savoy:
- Ligue Savoisienne
- Mouvement Région Savoie
- Occitania: Partit Occitan
- Corsica: Partitu di a Nazione Corsa
- Brittany: Union démocratique bretonne
- Alsace: Union du Peuple Alsacien
- Catalans (Rosillon): Unitat Catalana
- UK
- Cornwall: Mebyon Kernow
- Wales: Plaid Cymru
- Scotland: Scottish National Party
- Italy:
- Emilia-Romagna: Libertŕ Emiliana-Nazione Emilia
- Veneto: Liga Fronte Veneto
- Sardinia: Partido Sardo d'Azione
- Slovenes (Trieste, Gorizia): Slovenska Skupnost
- South Tyrol: Union für Südtirol
- Aosta Valley: Union Valdôtaine
- Spain:
- Galicia: Bloque Nacionalista Galego
- Aragon: Chunta Aragonesista
- Catalonia: Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya
- Basque Country: Eusko Alkartasuna
- Andalusia: Partido Andalucista
- Poland: Silesia: Ruch Autonomii Śląska
- Romania: No member parties
- Netherlands: Friesland: Fryske Nasjonale Partij
- Greece: Macedonians: Vinozhito Rainbow Party
- Portugal: No member parties
- Belgium: Flanders: Spirit
- Czech Republic: No member parties
- Hungary, Sweden: No member parties
- Austria: Slovenes: Enotna Lista
- Bulgaria, Slovakia, Denmark: No member parties
- Finland: Ĺland: Ĺlands Framtid
- Ireland: No member parties
- Lithuania: Poles: Lithuanian Polish People's Party
- Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta: No member parties.
Notes: Wikipedia incorrectly (I think) lists Eusko Alkartasuna as operating both in Spain and France. This is possibly the result of conflating the fact that the "Greater" Basque Country straddles the border with where the political party operates. In the 1970's and 80's there was a weak ETA counterpart in the French Basque Country, called
Iparretarrak (the Northerners), and I am surprised that there is not any remnant of it. That shows just how weak Basque nationalism is in the French Basque Country.
I suppose I don't have a lot more to say on this group than that there are far fewer parties represented here than ManfromMiddletown gave credit to in his diary How many nations in Europe?
The European Green Party is an alliance of over 30 green parties from all over Europe, but does not include any of the parties of the Nordic Green Left (which are more Left than Green). In the European Parliament, the European Greens form a group together with the European Free Alliance (see above). The list of members and observers of the European Greens includes:
- Germany: Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
- France: Les Verts
- UK:
- Green Party of England and Wales
- Green Party in Northern Ireland
- Scottish Green Party
- Manx Green Party (observer)
- Italy: Federazione dei Verdi
- Spain:
- Confederación de Los Verdes
- Iniciativa per Catalunya - Verds
- Federación de Los Verdes–Izquierda Verde (observer)
- Poland: Zieloni 2004
- Romania: Federaţia Ecologistă din România
- Netherlands: De Groenen
- Greece: Ecologists Greens
- Portugal: Os Verdes
- Belgium:
- Hungary: Zöld Demokraták
- Sweden: Miljöpartiet de Gröna
- Austria: Die Grünen
- Czech Republic: Strana zelených
- Bulgaria: Bulgarian Green Party
- Slovakia: Strana Zelenych na Slovensku
- Denmark:
- De Grřnne
- Socialistisk Folkeparti, Socialist People's Party (observer, member of the Nordic Green Left)
- Finland: Vihreät
- Ireland: Green Party
- Lithuania: No member party
- Latvia: Latvijas Zala Partija
- Slovenia: Stranka mladih Slovenije, Youth Party of Slovenia (observer)
- Estonia: Estonian Greens
- Cyprus: Cyprus Green Party
- Luxembourg: Déi Gréng
- Malta: Alternattiva Demokratika
According to wikipedia,
Critics have suggested that the European Greens do not yet amount to a single party: in particular the different national components have a widely different approach to the European Union ranging from strong pro-European forces to eurosceptics.
In my opinion, this criticism misses the point completely: the fact that these parties don't have a common position on the European Union just means that the Eurosceptic/Europeist axis is of secondary or even tertiary importance to the environmentalism dimension. The EPP-ED European Parliament group also doesn't agree on the European Union, which seems to be secondary to conservatism and the more pragmatic complementary needs of the Tories to have a group and the EPP to be able to claim MEPs from all members states.
The Alliance for the Europe of the Nations brings together (extreme) rightist nationalist parties representing nations with their own Nation-State, and it is the core of the Union for the Europe of the Nations European Parliament group. It is not exactly Eurosceptic as its members
believe in a united but not uniform Europe, mobilised for great causes, governed by the values of western civilization and guided by humanist principles. However, they do oppose supranational European governance, believing in separately homogeneous nation states. The whole thing has a distinct fascist feel.
Its members include:
- Germany: No member party
- France: Rassemblement pour la France, Rally For France
- UK: No member parties
- Italy: Alleanza Nazionale, National Alliance
- Spain: No member parties
- Poland: Prawo i Sprawiedliwość, Law and Justice
- Romania: Partidul National Liberal (PNL) National Liberal Party
- Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Belgium: No member parties
- Hungary: Magyar Vidék és Polgári Párt (MVPP) Hungarian Provincial and Civic Party
- Sweden, Austria, Czech Republic: No member parties
- Bulgaria: National Ideal for Unity Party (NIU)
- Slovakia: Hnutie za demokraciu Movement for Democracy
- Denmark: Dansk Folkeparti, Danish People's Party
- Finland: No member parties
- Ireland: Fianna Fáil, Soldiers of Destiny
- Lithuania:
- Lietuvos valstiečių liaudininkų sąjunga, Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union
- Tvarka ir teisingumas, Order and Justice
- Latvia: Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK, Fatherland and Freedom
- Slovenia: No member parties
- Estonia: Eestimaa Rahvaliit, People's Union of Estonia
- Cyprus: Agonistiko Dimokratiko Kinima (ADiK) Fighting Democratic Movement
- Luxembourg: Action fir demokratie und socialer gerechtegeret (ADR) Action for Democracy and Social Justice/Alternative Democratic Reform Party
- Malta: No member parties
Notes: Romania's PNL is not listed by Wikipedia, but appears on the AEN website.
We poked some good-natured fun at Fianna Fail for being allied with these fascists in this recent thread. It is well known that Fianna Fail is actually uncomfortable in Europe of the Nations. According to Colman, the problem is that Fine Gael [EPP] and Fianna Fail are ideologically very close but cannot be in the same European Party or Group because of something to do with a civil war 85 years ago. Interestingly, Fianna Fail is expected to attempt to leave the AEN and join another European Parliament group following the 2009 EP elections.
The Party of the European Left is an alliance of Socialist and reformed Communist parties, to the left of the Social Democratic PES, not including the Nordic Green Left with which it forms a European Parliament group. The European Left...:
...demands another Europe,- a Europe that says no to war and militarization. ...
- a Europe that defends the social states and renews it, ...
- a Europe of diverse cultures, of freedom of spirit, a Europe open to the world. ...
- a Europe open to the world that resists capitalist globalisation. ...
- a democratic Europe. ...
Its member parties include:
- Germany: Die Linkspartei (Linke-PDS), The Left Party
- France: Parti Communiste Français (PCF) French Communist Party
- UK: No member parties
- Italy: Rifondazione Communista, Communist Refoundation
- Spain:
- Izquierda Unida, United Left
- Partido Comunista de Espańa, Spain's Communist Party
- Esquerra Unida i Alternativa, Alternative and United Left
- Poland: No member parties
- Romania: Partidul Alianţa Socialistă, Socialist Alliance Party
- Netherlands: No member parties
- Greece: ΣΥΝΑΣΠΙΣΜΟΣ, Coalition of Left, of Movements and Ecology
- Portugal: Bloco de Esquerda Portugal, Left Bloc
- Belgium: Parti Communiste (Wallonie), Communist Party (Wallonia)
- Hungary: Magyar Kommunista Munkáspárt, Hungarian Communist Workers' Party
- Sweden: No member parties
- Austria: Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, Austria's Communist Party
- Czech Republic: Strana demokratického socialismu, Party of Democratic Socialism
- Bulgaria, Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia: No member parties
- Estonia: Eesti Vasakpartei (EVP) Estonian Left Party
- Cyprus: No member parties
- Luxembourg: déi lénk, The Left
- Malta: No member parties
The European Democratic Party (not to be confused with the European Democrats half of the EPP-ED parliamentary group, which is Eurosceptic) is a centrist (social-liberal) pro-EU group of parties, and sits together with the ELDR (See above) in the ALDE group of the European Parliament. It calls itself a
a new political force which is devoted to the promotion of European integration.
Wikipedia lists member parties in 7 EU states, but
the party's website only lists 6 (missing the Lithuanian member). Wikipedia also lists it among the parties that have received EU funding in 2005. The member parties are:
- France: Union pour la Démocratie Française (UDF) Union for French Democracy
- Italy: Democrazia č Libertŕ-La Margherita, Daisy - Democracy and Freedom
- Spain: Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea/Partido Nacionalista Vasco (EAJ/PNV) Basque Nationalist Party
- Czech Republic: Cesta Zmeny, Path of Change
- Belgium: Mouvement des Citoyens pour le changement, Citizens' Movement for Change
- Lithuania: Darbo Partija, Labour Party
- Cyprus: Ευρωπαϊκό Κόμμα, European Party
Eurosceptics
The Eurosceptic "Independence and Democracy" parliamentary group has finally gotten around to organising itself into political parties. There is an embryonic
Alliance of Independent Democrats in Europe, and the better organised
EUDemocrats. As of yet, it seems neither of them can claim party status under the EU regulations, but at least EUDemocrats should achieve that status soon. It is quite likely that the Tories will leave the EPP-ED parliamentary group after 2009, and that they will try to form an alternative group and party. It might be EUDemocrats, which already counts one Tory MEP as an individual member.
