Update of European parties' number of MEPs following European elections |
The European Democratic Party (EDP; French: Parti démocrate européen, PDE), also known as the European Democrats, is a centrist[1][2][3][4] European political party in favour of European integration. François Bayrou is the party's president.
European Democratic Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | EDP |
| President | François Bayrou (FR) |
| Secretary-General | Sandro Gozi (IT) |
| Founded | 9 December 2004; 19 years ago (2004-12-09) |
| Split from | European People's Party |
| Headquarters | Rue Montoyer 25, 1000 Brussels, Belgium |
| Think tank | Institute of European Democrats |
| Youth wing | Young Democrats for Europe |
| Ideology | Centrism[5] Pro-Europeanism[6] |
| Political position | Centre[7] |
| European Parliament group | Renew Europe |
| International affiliation | Alliance of Democrats (2005–2012) |
| Colours | Blue Orange |
| European Parliament |
11 / 705
|
| European Council |
0 / 27
|
| European Commission |
0 / 27
|
| European Lower Houses |
90 / 6,312
|
| European Upper Houses |
35 / 1,498
|
| Website | |
| democrats | |
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All of the EDP's MEPs currently sit in the liberal Renew Europe group. The youth wing of the EDP is the Young Democrats for Europe (YDE).
As of 2024, one EDP member participates in the national government of an EU member state: Bayrou's Democratic Movement in France, which supports the governmentofPrime Minister Gabriel Attal. Two European regions are also led by an EDP politician, with Spain's Basque Country being led by Iñigo Urkullu of the Basque Nationalist Party and with Spain's Canary Islands being led by Fernando Clavijo Batlle of the Canarian Coalition; EDP member Free Voters participates as a junior coalition partner in the state government of Bavaria in Germany.
European Democratic Party was initiated on 16 April 2004 and formally founded on 9 December 2004 in Brussels.
In 2005, the European Democratic Party, together with the United States Democratic Party and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, co-founded the Alliance of Democrats international.[8][9]
François Bayrou of the Union for French Democracy and later the Democratic Movement (MoDem) and Francesco Rutelli, former leader of the Democracy is Freedom and Alliance for Italy parties, served as the two co-presidents until 2019. Now, François Bayrou serves as the only president.
The EDP was founded in reaction to the rising influence of Eurosceptic parties within European institutions. It drew pro-European centrist parties from the European People's Party (EPP) group to form a new centrist multinational bloc. Its co-founder François Bayrou described it as a party for people being neither conservative nor socialist."
Since the beginning of the 6th European Parliament of 2004–2009, the EDP has formed a joint European parliamentary group with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party called the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group. This parliamentary group was dissolved in 2019 and replaced by Renew Europe.
The European Democratic Party is ideologically centrist and federalist.[10] Some major members and affiliated parties like EAJ-PNV, Free Voters, MoDem, MCC, Canarian Coalition and the disbanded Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy follow a Christian democraticorliberal conservative line.
Members are national and regional political parties as well as members of the European Parliament, national and regional parliaments.[11]
| Country or Region | Party | MEPs[a] | National MPs |
|---|---|---|---|
 Austria
|
Citizens' Forum Austria Bürgerforum Österreich (FRITZ) |
- | - |
 Belgium
|
Les Engagés Les Engagés (LE) |
1 / 8
|
14 / 150
5 / 60
|
| Marie-Christine Marghem (MR and MCC; Individual member) |
- |
1 / 150
0 / 60
| |
 Croatia
|
People's Party – Reformists Narodna stranka – Reformisti (NS-R) |
- | - |
 Cyprus
|
Citizens' Platform Platforma Politon |
- | - |
| Pavlos Mylonas (DIKO; individual member) |
- |
1 / 56
[12]
| |
 Czech Republic
|
SEN 21 SEN 21 |
- |
0 / 200
4 / 81
|
 France
|
Democratic Movement Mouvement démocrate (MoDem) |
3 / 81
|
48 / 577
4 / 348
|
| Catherine Chabaud (MoDem; Individual member) |
- | - | |
| Sandro Gozi (IV; Individual member) |
1 / 81
|
- | |
 Germany
|
Free Voters Freie Wähler (FW) |
3 / 96
|
0 / 735
(Bundestag)
2 / 69
(Bundesrat)
|
 Greece
|
Union of Centrists Ένωση Κεντρώων (EK) |
- | - |
 Hungary
|
New Start Új Kezdet (UK) |
- | - |
 Italy
|
Italia Viva Italia Viva (IV) |
- |
9 / 400
6 / 200
|
| L'Italia c'è L'Italia c'è |
- | - | |
| New Times – United Populars[13] Tempi Nuovi – Popolari Uniti |
- | - | |
 Ireland
|
Independent Ireland |
1 / 14
|
3 / 160
0 / 60
|
| Marian Harkin (Independent; Individual member) | - |
1 / 160
| |
 Netherlands
|
50PLUS (50+) | - |
0 / 150
1 / 74
|
 Poland
|
Alliance of Democrats Stronnictwo Demokratyczne |
- | - |
 Portugal
|
Together for the People Juntos pelo Povo (JPP) |
- | - |
 San Marino
|
Future Republic Repubblica Futura (RF) |
Not in EU |
6 / 60
|
 Slovenia
|
Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia Demokratična stranka upokojencev Slovenije (DeSUS) |
- | - |
 Spain |
Basque Nationalist Party Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea (EAJ) Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV) |
1 / 61
|
6 / 350
10 / 265
|
| Canarian Coalition Coalición Canaria (CC) |
- |
1 / 350
1 / 265
| |
| Commitment to Galicia Compromiso por Galicia (CxG) |
- | - | |
 Europe
|
Young Democrats for Europe[14] Jeunes Démocrates européens |
- | |
Croatia : National Forum (Nacionalni forum), joined EDP in 2014, disbanded in 2015 Cyprus:
Czech Republic:
France:
Italy:
Lithuania: Labour Party, left in 2012 to join the ALDE party Portugal
Romania
Slovakia:
| Organisation | Institution | Number of seats |
|---|---|---|
| European Union |
European Parliament |
11 / 705
|
| European Commission |
0 / 27
| |
| European Council (Heads of Government) |
0 / 27
| |
| Council of the EU (Participation in Government) |
1 / 27
| |
| Committee of the Regions | ||
 Council of Europe |
Parliamentary Assembly |
4 / 306
|
The European Democratic Party (EDP) is a centrist, social-liberal, and federalist party that stands for a more democratic, integrated EU closer to its citizens. Between 2004 and now (end of 2019) the EDP has formed a joint European parliamentary group with ALDE.