European People's Party
European People's Party Europäische Volkspartei Parti populaire européen Partito Popolare Europeo Partido Popular Europeo Europese Volkspartij Il-Partit Popolari Ewropew Europejska Partia Ludowa Európai Néppárt | |
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| President | Wilfried Martens |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Rue du Commerce / Handelsstraat 10, Brussels, B-1000 |
| Ideology | Christian democracy, Liberal conservativism, Conservatism |
| European Parliament group | European People's Party - European Democrats |
| International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International, International Democrat Union |
| Colours | Blue, Orange |
| Website | |
| www.epp.eu | |
The European People's Party (EPP) is a christian democratic, liberal conservative and conservative European political party. Founded in 1976, the EPP has 72 member-parties from 39 countries, 13 EU and 6 non-EU heads of government, 10 European Commissioners (including the President), and the largest group in the European Parliament with 288 members.
History
EPP traces its ancestry to the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales in 1946[1] or 1948,[2] via the European Union of Christian Democrats founded in 1965,[1] although it has been argued that it ultimately descends from the Secretariat International des partis démocratiques d'inspiration chrétienne founded in 1925.[2]
Structure
Organisation
Its current President is former Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Martens was re-elected President at the March 2006 EPP Congress in Rome for a 3-year term. In the same Congress, French Minister Michel Barnier (UMP), Finnish Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (KOK), former Slovenian Prime Minister Lojze Peterle (NSi), former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), German State Secretary Peter Hintze (CDU), Irish opposition leader Enda Kenny (FG) and Chairman of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (PO) were elected as EPP Vice-Presidents. Also, the Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament - currently Joseph Daul - is an ex officio EPP Vice-President.
Position
According to its website, the EPP is "the 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."
By invitation of the EPP President, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament and the EPP heads of government (or leaders of the opposition) customarily meet a few hours prior to the Summit of the European Council at the 'Académie Royale' in Brussels for the EPP Summit to form common positions.
EPP in the European institutions
The EPP currently holds the Presidencies of two of the three main EU institutions: the European Commission led by President José Manuel Barroso (PSD) and the European Parliament led by President Hans-Gert Pöttering (CDU). In the second half of 2009, it will also assume the remaining one, the Presidency of the European Council, under Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (MSP).
European Council
EPP has 13 out of the 27 heads of State or Government in the European Council: Jan Peter Balkenende (Netherlands, CDA), Silvio Berlusconi (Italy, FI), Emil Boc (Romania, PD-L), Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia, JL), Lawrence Gonzi (Malta, PN), Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxembourg, CSV), Kostas Karamanlis (Greece, ND), Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania, TS-LKD), Angela Merkel (Germany, CDU), Fredrik Reinfeldt (Sweden, MSP), Nicolas Sarkozy (France, UMP), Donald Tusk (Poland, PO) and Herman Van Rompuy (Belgium, CD&V).
It also has 5 heads of State or Government who do not normally take part in the European Council since that responsibility belongs to the other leaders of their countries: Aníbal Cavaco Silva (Portugal, PSD), François Fillon (France, UMP), Horst Köhler (Germany, CDU), Edward Fenech Adami (Malta, PN) and Traian Băsescu (Romania, PD-L).
European Commission
EPP has 10 out of 27 members of the European Commission: President José Manuel Barroso (Portugal, PSD), Vice President Jacques Barrot (France, UMP), Vice President Antonio Tajani, (Italy, FI), Joe Borg, (Malta, PN), Stavros Dimas (Greece, ND), Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Austria, ÖVP), Ján Figeľ (Slovakia, KDH), Danuta Hubner (Poland, PO), Andris Piebalgs (Latvia, TP) and Viviane Reding (Luxembourg, CSV).
European Parliament
In the European Parliament the EPP is allied with the more eurosceptic 'European Democrats' sub-group to form the EPP-ED Group of 288 MEPs. The current Group Chairman in French UMP politician Joseph Daul, replacing Hans-Gert Pöttering who was elected as the new President of the European Parliament in January 2007.
EPP beyond the EU
EPP, through its associate parties, also has 6 heads of State or Government from non-EU countries: Ivo Sanader (Croatia, HDZ), Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkey, AKP), Sali Berisha (Albania, DP), Nikola Gruevski (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE), Viktor Yushchenko (Ukraine, NSNU) & Yulia Tymoshenko (Ukraine, Fatherland) and Mikheil Saakashvili (Georgia, UNM).
EPP also has parliamentary groups in the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe, Chaired by Luc Van den Brande (Belgium, CD&V), and the OSCE, Chaired by Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden, MSP).
In recent years, the EPP has been developing beyond Europe bilateral relations with major conservative and like-minded parties. Due its firm transatlantic orientation, North America has been a particular focus of the Party's international activities.
The EPP is recognized as a regional organization of two centre-right global multilateral organizations: the Christian Democrat International (CDI) and the International Democrat Union (IDU). EPP is also a member of the European Movement international.
Member parties
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- Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) (Austrian Peoples Party)
Flanders
- Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic & Flemish)
Wallonia
- Centre Démocrate Humaniste (CDH) (Humanist Democratic Centre)
- Демократи за силна България (Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria)
- Съюз на Демократичните Сили (Union of the Democratic Forces)
- Граждани за европейско развитие на България (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria)
- Демократическа партия (DP) (Democratic Party)
- Български Земеделски Народен Съюз - Народен Съюз (Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union)
- Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός (Democratic Rally)
- Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová (KDU-CSL) (Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party)
- Det Konservative Folkeparti (KF) (Conservative People's Party)
- Kristendemokraterne (Christian Democrats)
- Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica)
- Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK) (National Coalition Party)
- Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) (Union for a Popular Movement)
- Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU) (Christian Democratic Union),
- Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (CSU) (Christian Social Union of Bavaria)
- Νέα Δημοκρατία (ND) (New Democracy)
- Fidesz – Magyar Polgári Szövetség (Hungarian Civic Union),
- Magyar Demokrata Fórum (MDF) (Hungarian Democratic Forum)
- Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt (KDNP) (Christian Democratic People's Party)
- Fine Gael (FG)
- Forza Italia (FI)
(dissolved into The People of Freedom, which is expected to join EPP but has not yet done so) - Popolari-UDEUR (UDEUR) (Democratic Union for Europe),
- Unione Democratici Cristiani di Centro (UDC) (Union of Christian Democratic and Democratics of Centre)
- Tautas Partija (TP) (People's Party),
- Jaunais Laiks (JL) (New Era)
- Tėvynės sąjunga - Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai (TS-LKD) (Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats)
- Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV) (Christian-Social People's Party)
- Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) (Nationalist Party)
- Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) (Christian Democratic Appeal)
- Platforma Obywatelska (PO) (Civic Platform)
- Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (PSL) (Polish Peasant Party)
- Partido Social Democrata (PSD) (Social Democratic Party)
- Centro Democrático e Social - Partido Popular (CDS-PP) (Social Democratic Centre - People's Party)
- Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin şi Democrat (PNŢCD) (Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party)
- Partidul Democrat-Liberal (PD-L) (Democratic Liberal Party)
- Uniunea Democrată a Maghiarilor din România (UDMR) (Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania)
- Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia - Demokratická strana (SDKÚ-DS) (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party),
- Magyar Koalíció Pártja/Strana maďarskej koalície (SMK) (Party of Hungarian Coalition),
- Krestanskodemokraticke hnutie (KDH) (Christian Democratic Movement of Slovakia)
- Slovenska demokratska stranka (SDS) (Slovenian Democratic Party),
- Nova Slovenija Krščanska ljudska stranka (NSi) (New Slovenia)
- Slovenska ljudska stranka (SLS) (Slovenian People's Party)
- Partido Popular (PP) (People's Party)
- Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (Democratic Union of Catalonia)
- Moderata samlingspartiet (M or MSP) (Moderate Party),
- Kristdemokraterna (KD) (Christian Democrats)
Associate members
- Hrvatska demokratska zajednica (HDZ) (Croatian Democratic Union)
- Hrvatska seljačka stranka (HSS) (Croatian Peasant Party)
- Høyre (H) (Conservatives)
- Демократска странка Србије (DSS) (Democratic Party of Serbia)
- Г17+ (G17 Plus)
- Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei (CVP) (Christian Democratic People's Party)
Observer members
- Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë (Democratic Party of Albania)
- Partia Demokrate e Re (New Democratic Party)
- Biełaruski Narodny Front (BNF) (Belarusian Popular Front)
- Abjadnanaja Hramadzianskaja Partyja Biełarusi (AHP) (United Civil Party of Belarus)
- Stranka demokratske akcije (SDA) (Party of Democratic Action)
- Hrvatska demokratska zajednica Bosne i Hercegovine (HDZBiH) (The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Partija demokratskog progresa RS (PDP) (Party of Democratic Progress of Republika Srpska)
- Demokratski centar (DC) (Democratic Center)
- Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (Christian Democrats)
- Ertiani Natsionaluri Modzraoba (ENM) (United National Movement)
- Südtiroler Volkspartei (South Tyrolese People's Party)
- Partidul Popular Creştin Democrat (Christian-Democratic People's Party)
- Kristelig Folkeparti(KrF) (Christian People's Party)
- Partito Democratico Cristiano Sammarinese (PDCS) (San Marinese Christian Democratic Party)
- Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) (Justice and Development Party)
- Народний Союз «Наша Україна» (NSNU) (People's Union "Our Ukraine")
- Народний Рух України (Rukh) (Narodnyi Rukh Ukrajiny, People's Movement of Ukraine)
- Всеукраїнське об'єднання "Батьківщина" (Vseukrayins'ke Obyednannya Bat’kivshchyna - All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland")
See also
References
- ^ a b "Trans-European Party Groupings: Emergence of New and Alignment of Old Parties in the Light of Direct Elections to the European Parliament" by Paul-H Claeys and Nicole Loeb-Mayer, from "Government and Opposition", Volume 14, issue 4, page 455-478
- ^ a b "On the road towards transnational party cooperation in Europe" by Steven van Hecke in "European View", Volume 3, 2006, from the Centre for European Studies
External links
- European People's Party official site
- EPP-ED Group official site