European People's Party
Encyclopedia
The European People's Party (EPP) is a pro-European centre-right European political party
. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic
parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative
parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.
The EPP is the most influential of the European parties. It has been the largest party in the European Parliament
since 1999, the European Council
since 2002 and is also by far the largest party in the current European Commission
. Likewise the President of the European Parliament
(and most of them for its history), the President of the European Council
and the President of the European Commission
are all from the EPP. Many of the Founding fathers of the European Union
were also from parties that would later form the EPP. Outside the EU, the party also controls a majority in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
.
The EPP includes major parties such as the German CDU
, French UMP
, Italian PdL
, Spanish PP
, and Polish PO
, but has member parties in almost all EU states. It has no member party in the United Kingdom
, as the British Conservatives
do not agree with the EPP's pro-EU policies, and formed the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists
.
The EPP was formally founded on 8 July 1976 in Luxembourg on the particular initiative of Jean Seitlinger and then Belgian PM, Leo Tindemans, who also became the first President of the party.
It’s to be noted though, that many political centre-right associations were already on the move since long ago and could be considered as EPP’s predecessors. For example the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales in 1946 or 1948, via the European Union of Christian Democrats founded in 1965, although it has been argued that it ultimately descends from the Secretariat International des partis démocratiques d'inspiration chrétienne founded in 1925.
An important movement came in the late 1990s, when Finnish politician Sauli Niinistö
, negotiated the merger of the European Democratic Union
, of which he was President, into the EPP. In October 2002, the EDU ceased its activities after being formally absorbed by the EPP at a special event in Estoril, Portugal. In recognition of his efforts, Niinistö was elected Honorary President of the EPP in the same year.
During these 35 years, the EPP has had four Presidents:
Since the EPP Congress of 2009 in Bonn, the presidency is formed by:
The Political Assembly meets at least three times a year.
It meets once every three years, although extraordinary Congresses can be (and have been) summoned.
It elects the EPP Presidency, decides on the main policy documents and electoral programmes and provides a platform for the EPP Heads of Government and Party Leaders.
By invitation of the EPP President, the President of the European Commission
, the President of the European Council
, the President of the European Parliament
and the EPP heads of state and government, (EPP ministers if the member party is a junior coalition partner and EPP leaders of the opposition if the member party is not at all in government) 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.
For the past two years the Party organizes on a regular basis EPP Ministerial meetings prior to the meetings of the Council of the European Union
. The meetings of EPP Ministers are usually hosted in the Party headquarters. The EPP organizes a total of ten different Ministerial meetings: Foreign Affairs, Economy and Finance, Employment and Social Affairs, Industry, Defence, Agriculture, Environment, Justice and Home Affairs, Transport, Energy.
The EPP also organizes on an ad hoc basis meetings with its affiliated members of the European Commission
and it also invites individual Commissioners to the EPP Summit meetings and/or to EPP Ministerial meetings.
Following the 2007 amendment of the EU Regulation that governs Europarties, the EPP as well as the other Europarties, are responsible for organizing the pan-European campaign for the European elections every five years. According to the Lisbon Treaty, the EPP (like all Europarties) must present, as part of the campaign for the European elections, a candidate for President of the European Commission
; the EPP already did this prior to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, by endorsing for a second term Jose Manuel Barroso in April 2009.
led by President José Manuel Barroso (PSD), the European Council led by Herman Van Rompuy
(CD&V) – who was nominated by EPP as its first permanent President – and the European Parliament
led by President Jerzy Buzek
(PO).
:
The EPP also has six 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: Bronisław Komorowski (Poland, PO), Christian Wulff
(Germany, CDU), Pál Schmitt
(Hungary, Fidesz), Aníbal Cavaco Silva
(Portugal, PSD), François Fillon
(France, UMP) and Traian Băsescu
(Romania, PD-L).
On 27 November 2009, Barroso unveiled the 'Barroso II Commission' which includes a total of 13 (out of 27) EPP
Commissioners. In January 2010 Rumiana Jeleva
was replaced by Kristalina Georgieva
:
the EPP has the largest parliamentary group – the EPP Group – with 264 MEPs. In every European election, candidates elected on lists of member-parties of the EPP are obliged to join the EPP Group in the European Parliament. In the current parliamentary term, the EPP is the only Europarty that has a fully corresponding parliamentary group. The current chairman of the EPP Group is French MEP Joseph Daul
.
The party has also other two Heads of State but they don't normally attend the meetings since the other leaders of their countries are the ones that attend. They are FYROM President Gjorge Ivanov (FYROM, VMRO-DPMNE) and Turkey President Abdullah Gul
(Turkey, AKP
)
defends freedom of expression and information, as well as freedom of movement of ideas and religious tolerance. It promotes the principle of subsidiarity and local autonomy, as well as the defence of national, social and other minorities. The EPP/CD Group is led by Italian UDC membre Luca Volonte.
The Group is chaired by Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden) and its Vice Presidents are: Consiglio Di Nino
(Canada), Vilija Aleknaitė Abramikiene (Lithuania), Laura Allegrini (Italy) and George Tsereteli (Georgia).
politician Karl Lamers, who is also the current President of the NATO-PA.
(IRI), an organization funded by the American government specially to promote democracy and democratization. EPP and IRI cooperate in the framework of the 'European Partnership Initiative'.
EPP President Wilfried Martens endorsed Sen. John McCain
, the Republican
nominee for president
, in the 2008 United States election (McCain is also IRI Chairman).
In 2011 Martens and McCain have made some joint press statements expressing their concerns on the state of democracy in Ukraine and politically motivated trial against former PM Yulia Tymoshenko
.
(IDU) and the Christian Democrat International (CDI).
(CDU), Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSU), Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies
(PP), Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy
(ND), Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation
(MOD), the Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party
(ÖVP) and others. During the 2009 European elections campaign, the CES launched a successful web-based campaign module 'tellbarroso.eu' to support Jose Manuel Barroso, the EPP candidate, for re-election as Commission President.
The Budapest-based Robert Schuman Institute and the Luxembourg-based Robert Schuman Foundation are also affiliated with the European People's Party.
is the official students’ organisation of the EPP. Since it was founded in 1961, EDS brings together students and young political leaders from all over Europe to promote a political pro-European exchange.
Although being a students’ organisation, and therefore taking a special interest in topics like the Bologna Process
, the organisation is especially aware of the importance of promoting values like freedom, democracy and human rights.
Led by Juraj Antal, the structure has 40 member organisations, representing nearly 500,000 students across the continentand currently, it's represented in 31 countries, including non-EU member states like Belarus
and Georgia
.
EDS is not a centralised organisation, it is an “organisation of organisations”, a networking structure whose general aim is to bundle the power of the various members in order to give young people and students a strong voice.
Every year the organisation hosts Summer and Winter universities and several seminars. It also publishes a bi-annual magazine called “Bullseye” and campaigns, through various forms, for the interests of young people.
in 1995 and led by CDU
member Bernhard Worms, ESCU is the largest political senior citizens’ organisation in Europe.
The ESCU is represented in 26 states with 45 organisations and about 500,000 members and it's dedicated to the advancement of rights of European senior citizens and their engagement in society. The aims of the ESCU are the promotion of the role of the elderly in ageing European societies, the fight against the discrimination of the elderly, the European pension systems, seniors and volunteering, intergenerational relationship and participation.
As the officially recognized EPP association of workers, the EUCDW is led by Elmar Brok
, MEP
, and aims: to press for the political unification of a democratic Europe; to promote the development of the EPP on the basis of Christian-social teaching; to represent and defend worker interests in European Policy; to work for the achievement of Christian-social principles and policies in the European workers' movements; to step up co-operation with the workers and their representatives to realise step by step the European Social Model. Therefore, in the last years, the EUCDW has made a lot of effort in influencing employment policy and defending an undivided Europe of social justice.
Its top priority is to reform the legal framework for SMEs all over Europe and to promote and support the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises which - due to their willingness to take risks and responsibility - are the engine of the European economy.
The SME-UNION is led by Nadezhda Neynsky.
EPP Women, led by Doris Pack
, is dedicated to the advancement of women‘s political participation throughout Europe and to the promotion of important women-related issues.
, led by Csaba Dömötör, is EPP‘s official youth organisation, self-governed by its own statutes, political program and elected representatives. YEPP’s members are national partypolitical youth organisations.
The purpose of all 51 member organisations as well as for YEPP is to provide young people a channel in order to influence the shaping of their societies with democratic means and centre-right, Christian Democratic and conservative ideas. Through its member organisations YEPP brings together between one and two million young people in 38 countries of Europe. This makes YEPP the largest party-political youth organisation in Europe.
Full members are all parties from EU states. They have absolute rights to vote in all the organs and on all the matters; meanwhile associate members have the same voting rights except for matters concerning EU structure or policies. These associate membres are parties from EU-candidate countries, EFTA
countries and also of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
if approved by the Political Assembly.
On the other hand, observer parties can participate in all the activities of the EPP and attend the Congresses and Political Assemblies, but do not have any voting rights.
Finally, there’s a special membership status which are the “supporting members”, which is granted by the Presidency to individuals and associations. Although the do not have voting rights, the can be invited by the President to attend meetings of certain organs of the party.
It´s worth noting that commissioners Dacian Ciolos
, Kristalina Georgieva
and Andris Piebalgs
are members of the EPP though they do not belong to any national party in their conuntries.
European political party
A European political party, formally a political party at European level, informally a Europarty, is a type of political party organization operating transnationally in Europe and in the institutions of the European Union. They are regulated and funded by the European Union and are usually made up...
. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.
The EPP is the most influential of the European parties. It has been the largest party in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
since 1999, the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
since 2002 and is also by far the largest party in the current European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. Likewise the President of the European Parliament
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
(and most of them for its history), the President of the European Council
President of the European Council
The President of the European Council is a principal representative of the European Union on the world stage, and the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council...
and the President of the European Commission
President of the European Commission
The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
are all from the EPP. Many of the Founding fathers of the European Union
Founding fathers of the European Union
The Founding Fathers of the European Union are a number of men who have been recognised as making a major contribution to the development of European unity and what is now the European Union. There is no official list of founding fathers or a single event defining them so some ideas vary.-Europe's...
were also from parties that would later form the EPP. Outside the EU, the party also controls a majority in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
.
The EPP includes major parties such as the German CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
, French UMP
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
, Italian PdL
The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom is a centre-right political party in Italy. With the Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties of the current Italian party system....
, Spanish PP
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
, and Polish PO
Civic Platform
Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President...
, but has member parties in almost all EU states. It has no member party in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as the British Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
do not agree with the EPP's pro-EU policies, and formed the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists
Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists
The Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to AECR, is a centre-right anti-federalist European political party defending broader conservative and classical liberal principles. It consists of twelve parties in nine EU member states and Iceland...
.
History
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."The EPP was formally founded on 8 July 1976 in Luxembourg on the particular initiative of Jean Seitlinger and then Belgian PM, Leo Tindemans, who also became the first President of the party.
It’s to be noted though, that many political centre-right associations were already on the move since long ago and could be considered as EPP’s predecessors. For example the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales in 1946 or 1948, via the European Union of Christian Democrats founded in 1965, although it has been argued that it ultimately descends from the Secretariat International des partis démocratiques d'inspiration chrétienne founded in 1925.
An important movement came in the late 1990s, when Finnish politician Sauli Niinistö
Sauli Niinistö
Sauli Väinämö Niinistö is a Finnish politician from National Coalition Party. He is also President of the Football Association of Finland. A lawyer by training, he was Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2003 and the National Coalition Party candidate in the 2006 presidential election...
, negotiated the merger of the European Democratic Union
European Democratic Union
The European Democratic Union Group was a Gaullist political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1965 and 1973.-History:The French Gaullists split from the Liberal Group on 21 January 1965 and created a new Group called the "European Democratic Union", The European Democratic Union...
, of which he was President, into the EPP. In October 2002, the EDU ceased its activities after being formally absorbed by the EPP at a special event in Estoril, Portugal. In recognition of his efforts, Niinistö was elected Honorary President of the EPP in the same year.
During these 35 years, the EPP has had four Presidents:
- Leo Tindemans (1976–1985)
- Piet BukmanPiet BukmanPieter Bukman is a former Dutch politician.He was President of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, first chairman of the Dutch Christian Democratic Appeal and second President of the European People's Party from 1985 to 1987.-References:...
(1985–1987) - Jacques Santer (1987–1990)
- Wilfried MartensWilfried MartensWilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens was the 44th Prime Minister of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992....
(1990 - )
EPP manifesto
As a central part of its 2009 campaign for the European elections, the EPP approved at the April Congress in Warsaw its 'Election Manifesto'. The EPP 2009 election manifesto calls for:- Creation of new jobs. Continuing reforms and investment in education, lifelong learningLifelong learningLifelong learning is the continuous building of skills and knowledge throughout the life of an individual. It occurs through experiences encountered in the course of a lifetime...
and employment in order to create opportunities for everyone. - Protectionism must be averted. Fiscal and monetary policies must be coordinated.
- Increasing transparency and surveillance on financial markets.
- Making Europe the market leader in green technology.
- Increasing the share of renewable energyRenewable energyRenewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
to at least 20% of the energy mix by 2020. - Family-friendly flexibility for working parents. Better childcare and housing must be provided, family-friendly fiscal policies introduced, and parental leave should be encouraged.
- Europe should find a strategy to attract skilled workers from the rest of the world to make Europe’s economy more competitive, more dynamic and more knowledge driven.
Presidency
The Presidency is the executive body of the party. It decides on the general political guidelines of the Party and presides over the Political Assembly. The Presidency is composed of the president, ten vice-presidents, the honorary presidents, the secretary-general and the treasurer. Besides, the chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, the Presidents of the Commission, the Parliament, the Council and the High Representative (as long as they belong to a member party) are all ex-officio vice-presidents.Since the EPP Congress of 2009 in Bonn, the presidency is formed by:
- Wilfried MartensWilfried MartensWilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens was the 44th Prime Minister of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992....
– President - Peter Hintze – Vice-President
- Michel BarnierMichel BarnierMichel Barnier is a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement and Vice President of the European People's Party . He is the current European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services...
- Vice-President - Antonio TajaniAntonio TajaniAntonio Tajani is an Italian politician. He is the current European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship and has also been one of the five Vice-President of the European Commission since May 2008....
– Vice-President - Viktor OrbanViktor OrbánViktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
– Vice-President - Mário DavidMario DavidMario David was an Italian football player and coach.David was born at Udine. He played in a defensive role from 1952 to 1966 in Livorno, Lanerossi Vicenza, A.C. Milan and U.C. Sampdoria. He won a European Cup Championship with Milan in Wembley 1963 final. In Italy national football team, he...
– Vice-President - Jacek Saryusz-WolskiJacek Saryusz-WolskiJacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski is a Polish diplomat, politician and a MEP: member of the European Parliament...
– Vice-President - Corien Wortmann-KoolCorien Wortmann-KoolCorien Wortmann-Kool is a Dutch politician and Member of the European Parliament. She is a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal, which is part of the European People's Party, and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism and its Committee on Women's Rights and...
– Vice-President - Jyrki KatainenJyrki KatainenJyrki Tapani Katainen is the Prime Minister of Finland and chairman of the country's largest party, the National Coalition Party.-Career:...
– Vice-President
- Enda KennyEnda KennyEnda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
– Vice-President - Rumiana JelevaRumiana JelevaRumiana Ruseva Jeleva was Bulgaria's minister of foreign affairs , the third woman to hold this office after Irina Bokova and Nadezhda Mihailova. Jeleva was a key figure in the "Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria" political party which won the 2009 parliamentary elections...
– Vice-President - Ingo FriedrichIngo FriedrichIngo Friedrich was a German Member of the European Parliament. He was elected on the CSU ticket and sits with the EPP-ED Group.Herr Friedrich holds a University degree in Economics...
– Treasurer - Jose Manuel Barroso – Ex-officio Vice-President
- Herman van RompuyHerman Van RompuyHerman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
– Ex-officio Vice-President - Jerzy BuzekJerzy BuzekJerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
– Ex-officio Vice-President - Joseph DaulJoseph DaulJoseph Daul is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the East of France. He is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement , a member-party of the European People's Party...
– Ex-officio Vice-President - Antonio Lopez-Isturiz WhiteAntonio López-Istúriz WhiteAntonio López-Istúriz White is a Spanish politician andMember of the European Parliament with the People's Party, Secretary-General of the European People's Party as well as member of the executive committe of the Spanish People's Party, Executive Secretary of the Christian Democrat International...
– Secretary-General - Sauli Ninisto – Honorary President
- Leo Tindemans – Honorary President
Political Assembly
The Political Assembly defines the political positions of the party between each Congress, deciding on membership applications, political guidelines and budget. The Political Assembly is composed of designated delegates from EPP member and associated member parties, member associations and groups.The Political Assembly meets at least three times a year.
Congress
The Congress is the highest decision-making body of the party and is composed of delegates from EPP member and associated member parties, member associations and groups.It meets once every three years, although extraordinary Congresses can be (and have been) summoned.
It elects the EPP Presidency, decides on the main policy documents and electoral programmes and provides a platform for the EPP Heads of Government and Party Leaders.
Activity
The European People's Party is active horizontally with the main EU institutions.By invitation of the EPP President, the President of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, the President of the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
, the President of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
and the EPP heads of state and government, (EPP ministers if the member party is a junior coalition partner and EPP leaders of the opposition if the member party is not at all in government) customarily meet a few hours prior to the Summit of the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
at the 'Académie Royale' in Brussels for the EPP Summit to form common positions.
For the past two years the Party organizes on a regular basis EPP Ministerial meetings prior to the meetings of the Council of the European Union
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
. The meetings of EPP Ministers are usually hosted in the Party headquarters. The EPP organizes a total of ten different Ministerial meetings: Foreign Affairs, Economy and Finance, Employment and Social Affairs, Industry, Defence, Agriculture, Environment, Justice and Home Affairs, Transport, Energy.
The EPP also organizes on an ad hoc basis meetings with its affiliated members of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and it also invites individual Commissioners to the EPP Summit meetings and/or to EPP Ministerial meetings.
Following the 2007 amendment of the EU Regulation that governs Europarties, the EPP as well as the other Europarties, are responsible for organizing the pan-European campaign for the European elections every five years. According to the Lisbon Treaty, the EPP (like all Europarties) must present, as part of the campaign for the European elections, a candidate for President of the European Commission
President of the European Commission
The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
; the EPP already did this prior to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, by endorsing for a second term Jose Manuel Barroso in April 2009.
In the European institutions
The EPP holds the Presidencies of all three main EU institutions: the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
led by President José Manuel Barroso (PSD), the European Council led by Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
(CD&V) – who was nominated by EPP as its first permanent President – and the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
led by President Jerzy Buzek
Jerzy Buzek
Jerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
(PO).
European Council
The EPP has 16 out of the 27 heads of State or Government in the European CouncilEuropean Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
:
- Yves LetermeYves LetermeYves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
(Belgium, CD&V) - Boyko BorisovBoyko BorisovBoyko Metodiev Borisov is a Bulgarian politician who has been Prime Minister of Bulgaria since July 2009. Previously he was Mayor of Sofia from 8 November 2005 until his election as Prime Minister....
(Bulgaria, GERB) - Jyrki KatainenJyrki KatainenJyrki Tapani Katainen is the Prime Minister of Finland and chairman of the country's largest party, the National Coalition Party.-Career:...
(Finland, KOK) - Nicolas SarkozyNicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
(France, UMP) - Angela MerkelAngela MerkelAngela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
(Germany, CDU) - Viktor OrbánViktor OrbánViktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
(Hungary, FIDESZ) - Enda KennyEnda KennyEnda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
(Ireland, Fine Gael) - Valdis DombrovskisValdis DombrovskisValdis Dombrovskis is the Prime Minister of Latvia. He previously served as Latvia's Minister of Finance and as a Member of the European Parliament for the New Era Party.-Education and science career:...
(Latvia, JL) - Andrius KubiliusAndrius KubiliusAndrius Kubilius is a Lithuanian politician who has been Prime Minister of Lithuania since 2008. He previously served as Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000. He is the leader of the conservative political party Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.- Biography :Kubilius was born at Vilnius...
(Lithuania, TS) - Jean-Claude JunckerJean-Claude JunckerJean-Claude Juncker is a Luxembourg politician, 23rd and current Prime Minister of Luxembourg, since 20 January 1995. He is the longest standing head of government of any European Union state...
(Luxembourg, CSV) - Lawrence GonziLawrence GonziLawrence Gonzi is a Maltese politician who has been Prime Minister of Malta since 2004. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta from 1988 to 1996, Minister of Social Policy from 1998 to 1999, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2004...
(Malta, PN) - Donald TuskDonald TuskDonald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party....
(Poland, PO) - Emil BocEmil BocEmil Boc is the Prime Minister of Romania, having served since December 2008. In June 2004, he was elected Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania. Boc is also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, who designated him as Prime Minister in 2008. On October 13, 2009, his...
(Romania, PD-L) - Pedro Passos CoelhoPedro Passos CoelhoPedro Manuel Mamede Passos Coelho , is Prime Minister of Portugal. Passos Coelho started very early in politics, becoming the national leader of the youth branch of the Social Democratic Party...
(Portugal, PSD) - Iveta RadičováIveta RadicováIveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of...
(Slovakia, SDKU-DS) - Fredrik ReinfeldtFredrik ReinfeldtJohn Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council...
(Sweden, M)
| Member State | Representative | Title | Political party | Member of the Council since | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belgium |
In post-election coalition negotiations as of June 2010. Office holder may change rapidly as new government is formed. Expected to be Elio Di Rupo Elio Di Rupo Elio Di Rupo is a Belgian social-democratic politician and the Party Leader of the Socialist Party .-Biography:... . |
Prime Minister | CD&V | ||
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
Prime Minister | GERB Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria , abbreviated GERB , is a Bulgarian centre-right political party established on March 13 2006. It has been Bulgaria's ruling party since 2009.... |
|||
 Finland |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Finland The Prime Minister is the Head of Government of Finland. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is the Head of State. The current Prime Minister is Jyrki Katainen of the National Coalition Party.-Overview:... |
Kokoomus | |||
 Early Modern France |
President | UMP Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
 |
||
 Germany |
Chancellor | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
 |
||
 Hungary |
Minister-President | Fidesz Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union The Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union is a major conservative party in Hungary. At the 2010 election in Hungary, Fidesz-KDNP won a two-thirds majority of seats by gaining 52% of the votes, with Fidesz winning 227 seats and KDNP winning 36... |
|||
 Republic of Ireland Ireland |
Taoiseach Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is... The Irish Prime Minister is commonly referred to as the Taoiseach in both Irish Irish language Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of... and English. See: Article 28.5.1° of the Constitution of Ireland Constitution of Ireland The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected... . |
Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
|||
 Latvia |
Minister-President Prime Minister of Latvia The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers... |
JL New Era Party The New Era Party , abbreviated to JL, was a centre-right political party in Latvia. Founded in 2002, the party merged with Civic Union and Society for Other Politics to form Unity in 2011.... |
|||
 Lithuania |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Lithuania The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania's government, and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of Prime Minister was established in 1990, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25... |
TS–LKD | |||
 Luxembourg |
Prime Minister | CSV Christian Social People's Party The Christian Social People's Party , abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian Democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, it is strongly pro-European... |
.jpg) |
||
 Malta |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Malta The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta.-Establishment of the office and developments:The office of "Head of Ministry" was created as soon as Malta was granted autonomous government in 1921. The 1921 constitution was suspended twice before being revoked... |
PN Nationalist Party (Malta) The Nationalist Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Labour Party. It was founded by Fortunato Mizzi in 1880 as the Anti-Reform Party, opposing taxation decreed by the British colonial authorities and measures to Anglicise the educational and the... |
|||
 Poland |
Donald Tusk Donald Tusk Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party.... |
President of the Council of Ministers | PO Civic Platform Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President... |
 |
|
 Portugal |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Portugal Prime Minister is the current title of the chief of the Portuguese Government. As chief executive, the Prime Minister coordinates the action of ministers, representing the Government from the other organs of state, accountable to Parliament and keeps the President informed... |
PSD Social Democratic Party (Portugal) The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party... |
|||
 Kingdom of Romania |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Romania The Prime Minister of Romania is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was styled President of the Council of Ministers , when the term "Government" included more than the Cabinet, and the Cabinet was called The Council of Ministers... |
PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) The Democratic Liberal Party is a populist, centre-right party in Romania. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance... |
 |
||
 Slovakia |
President of the Government | SDKÚ-DS | |||
 Sweden |
Minister of State Prime Minister of Sweden The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested... |
Moderaterna Moderate Party The Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament... |
 |
The EPP also has six heads of State or Government who do not normally take part in the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
since that responsibility belongs to the other leaders of their countries: Bronisław Komorowski (Poland, PO), Christian Wulff
Christian Wulff
Christian Wilhelm Walter Wulff is the President of Germany and a politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was elected President on 2010 and publicly swore the oath of office on . A lawyer by profession, he served as Premier of the state of Lower Saxony from 2003 to 2010.-Early life and...
(Germany, CDU), Pál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010....
(Hungary, Fidesz), Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006....
(Portugal, PSD), François Fillon
François Fillon
François Charles Armand Fillon is the Prime Minister of France. He was appointed to that office by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007. He served initially until 13 November 2010 when he resigned from being prime minister before a planned cabinet reshuffle.On 14 November 2010, Sarkozy...
(France, UMP) and Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
(Romania, PD-L).
European Commission
The EPP during its 2009 European elections campaign, re-nominated at its April 2009 Congress in Warsaw José Manuel Barroso as its candidate for re-election as Commission President if it won the elections. Because the EPP won, Barroso's nomination was endorsed by the European Council and was elected by an absolute majority in the European Parliament for a second term.On 27 November 2009, Barroso unveiled the 'Barroso II Commission' which includes a total of 13 (out of 27) EPP
EPP
-Organisations:* Engineering and Public Policy, an academic department at Carnegie Mellon University* European People's Party, a European political party* European People's Party * European Public Prosecutor, a proposed EU agency...
Commissioners. In January 2010 Rumiana Jeleva
Rumiana Jeleva
Rumiana Ruseva Jeleva was Bulgaria's minister of foreign affairs , the third woman to hold this office after Irina Bokova and Nadezhda Mihailova. Jeleva was a key figure in the "Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria" political party which won the 2009 parliamentary elections...
was replaced by Kristalina Georgieva
Kristalina Georgieva
Kristalina Ivanova Georgieva is a Bulgarian economist and politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response in the second college of the Barroso Commission....
:
- José Manuel Barroso (PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, President) - Viviane RedingViviane RedingViviane Reding is a Luxembourgian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Before starting a professional career as a journalist for the leading newspaper in Luxembourg, the Luxemburger Wort, she obtained a doctorate in human sciences...
(Luxembourg, Vice-President. Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship) - Antonio TajaniAntonio TajaniAntonio Tajani is an Italian politician. He is the current European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship and has also been one of the five Vice-President of the European Commission since May 2008....
(Italy, Vice-President. Industry and Entrepreneurship) - Andris PiebalgsAndris PiebalgsAndris Piebalgs is a Latvian politician and diplomat, currently serving as European Commissioner for Development at the European Commission. Between 2004 and 2010 he served as Commissioner for Energy.-Career:...
(Latvia. Development) - Michel BarnierMichel BarnierMichel Barnier is a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement and Vice President of the European People's Party . He is the current European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services...
(France. Internal Market and Services) - Algirdas ŠemetaAlgirdas ŠemetaAlgirdas Gediminas Šemeta is a Lithuanian economist and the European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud. He has held this post since July 2009....
(Lithuania. Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud|Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud) - John DalliJohn DalliJohn Dalli is the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy and a former Maltese politician who served as Cabinet Minister in various Maltese governments between 1987 and 2010.-Maltese politics:...
(Malta. Health and Consumer Policy) - Janusz LewandowskiJanusz LewandowskiJanusz Antoni Lewandowski is a Polish politician and economist belonging to the Gdansk liberals group, and a member of the Europea n Parliament , Chairman of the Committee on Budgets...
(Poland. Financial Programming and the Budget) - Kristalina GeorgievaKristalina GeorgievaKristalina Ivanova Georgieva is a Bulgarian economist and politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response in the second college of the Barroso Commission....
(Bulgaria. International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response) - Gunther OettingerGünther OettingerGünther Hermann Oettinger is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became European Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party...
(Germany. Energy) - Johannes HahnJohannes HahnJohannes Hahn, born on the 2 December 1957, is an Austrian politician and that country's member of the second Barroso Commission. He replaced as Austria's representative Benita Ferrero-Waldner. Hahn is a member of the Österreichische Volkspartei and the European People's Party...
(Austria.Regional Policy) - Connie HedegaardConnie HedegaardConnie Hedegaard is a Danish politician and public intellectual who has been European Commissioner for Climate Action in the European Commission since 10 February 2010....
(Denmark. Climate Action) - Dacian CioloşDacian CioloşDacian Cioloş is a Romanian engineer and politician. In the Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu cabinet, he was Agriculture Minister from October 2007 to December 2008...
(Romania. Agriculture and Rural Development)
| State | Commissioner | Portfolio | Political party | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal |
José Manuel Barroso | President President of the European Commission The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed... |
PSD Social Democratic Party (Portugal) The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party... |
 |
| Luxembourg |
Viviane Reding Viviane Reding Viviane Reding is a Luxembourgian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Before starting a professional career as a journalist for the leading newspaper in Luxembourg, the Luxemburger Wort, she obtained a doctorate in human sciences... |
Vice-President Vice-President of the European Commission A Vice President of the European Commission is a post in the European Commission usually occupied by more than one member of the Commission. Since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty entered into force, one of these is ex-officio the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,... ; Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship |
CSV Christian Social People's Party The Christian Social People's Party , abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian Democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, it is strongly pro-European... |
|
 Italy |
Antonio Tajani Antonio Tajani Antonio Tajani is an Italian politician. He is the current European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship and has also been one of the five Vice-President of the European Commission since May 2008.... |
Vice-President Vice-President of the European Commission A Vice President of the European Commission is a post in the European Commission usually occupied by more than one member of the Commission. Since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty entered into force, one of these is ex-officio the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,... ; Industry and Entrepreneurship |
PDL | |
| Latvia |
Andris Piebalgs Andris Piebalgs Andris Piebalgs is a Latvian politician and diplomat, currently serving as European Commissioner for Development at the European Commission. Between 2004 and 2010 he served as Commissioner for Energy.-Career:... |
Development | None | |
| France |
Michel Barnier Michel Barnier Michel Barnier is a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement and Vice President of the European People's Party . He is the current European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services... |
Internal Market and Services | UMP Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
 |
| Lithuania |
Algirdas Šemeta Algirdas Šemeta Algirdas Gediminas Šemeta is a Lithuanian economist and the European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud. He has held this post since July 2009.... |
Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud The Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud is the member of the European Commission. The current commissioner is Algirdas Šemeta. The post was previously divided prior to 2010, with audit being under control of the Commissioner for Administrative Affairs.The post is... |
TS–LKD | |
| Malta |
John Dalli John Dalli John Dalli is the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy and a former Maltese politician who served as Cabinet Minister in various Maltese governments between 1987 and 2010.-Maltese politics:... |
Health and Consumer Policy European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy The Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy is the member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner John Dalli. The portfolio is responsible for matters of public health, food safety, animal health, welfare and consumer affairs.-Kyprianou:... |
PN Nationalist Party (Malta) The Nationalist Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Labour Party. It was founded by Fortunato Mizzi in 1880 as the Anti-Reform Party, opposing taxation decreed by the British colonial authorities and measures to Anglicise the educational and the... |
|
| Poland |
Janusz Lewandowski Janusz Lewandowski Janusz Antoni Lewandowski is a Polish politician and economist belonging to the Gdansk liberals group, and a member of the Europea n Parliament , Chairman of the Committee on Budgets... |
Financial Programming and the Budget | PO Civic Platform Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President... |
 |
| Bulgaria |
Kristalina Georgieva Kristalina Georgieva Kristalina Ivanova Georgieva is a Bulgarian economist and politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response in the second college of the Barroso Commission.... |
International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response | None | |
| Germany |
Günther Oettinger Günther Oettinger Günther Hermann Oettinger is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became European Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party... |
Energy European Commissioner for Energy The Commissioner for Energy is a member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Günther Oettinger .-Responsibilities:The Commissioner holds responsibility for the European Union's energy policy as well as nuclear issues . It was previously a backwater in the Commission but has now... |
CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
 |
 Austria |
Johannes Hahn Johannes Hahn Johannes Hahn, born on the 2 December 1957, is an Austrian politician and that country's member of the second Barroso Commission. He replaced as Austria's representative Benita Ferrero-Waldner. Hahn is a member of the Österreichische Volkspartei and the European People's Party... |
Regional Policy European Commissioner for Regional Policy The Commissioner for Regional Policy is a portfolio within the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Johannes Hahn.The portfolio is responsible for managing the regional policy of the European Union, such as the European Regional Development Fund, which takes up a third of the EU's... |
ÖVP Austrian People's Party The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology... |
|
 Denmark |
Connie Hedegaard Connie Hedegaard Connie Hedegaard is a Danish politician and public intellectual who has been European Commissioner for Climate Action in the European Commission since 10 February 2010.... |
Climate Action | KFP Conservative People's Party (Denmark) The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition... |
|
| Romania |
Dacian Cioloş Dacian Cioloş Dacian Cioloş is a Romanian engineer and politician. In the Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu cabinet, he was Agriculture Minister from October 2007 to December 2008... |
Agriculture and Rural Development | None |
European Parliament
In the European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
the EPP has the largest parliamentary group – the EPP Group – with 264 MEPs. In every European election, candidates elected on lists of member-parties of the EPP are obliged to join the EPP Group in the European Parliament. In the current parliamentary term, the EPP is the only Europarty that has a fully corresponding parliamentary group. The current chairman of the EPP Group is French MEP Joseph Daul
Joseph Daul
Joseph Daul is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the East of France. He is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement , a member-party of the European People's Party...
.
EPP in non-EU states
Through its associate and observer parties, EPP has six Heads of State and Government in European non-EU countries, besides one of the members of the Bosnian Presidency. They all attend EPP summits and meetings:- Sali BerishaSali BerishaSali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania ....
(Albania, DP) - Bakir IzetbegovićBakir IzetbegovicBakir Izetbegović is a Bosniak politician. Izetbegović is a member of the Party of Democratic Action and son of the late Bosnian president, Alija Izetbegović. In 2010, he was elected to be the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Career:Izetbegović graduated with a degree in...
(Bosnia and Herzgovina, SDA) - Jadranka KosorJadranka KosorJadranka Kosor is a Croatian politician and former journalist. She is the current Prime Minister of Croatia, having taken office on July 6, 2009, following the sudden resignation of her predecessor Ivo Sanader. She is Croatia's first female Prime Minister since independence.-Early life:Jadranka...
(Croatia, HDZ) - Nikola GruevskiNikola GruevskiNikola Gruevski has been Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia since 27 August 2006. He has led VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.- Personal life :...
(Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, VMRO-DPMNE) - Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgia, UNM)
- Vlad FilatVlad FilatVladimir Filat is a Moldovan politician, the Prime Minister of Moldova since 25 September 2009.- Education and early career :...
(Moldova, PLDM) - Recep Tayyip ErdoganRecep Tayyip ErdoganRecep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
(Turkey, AKP)
| State | Representative | Title | Political party | In power since | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Albania |
Chairman of the Council of Ministers | PD Democratic Party of Albania The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections... |
|||
 Independent State of Croatia |
President of the Government | HDZ | |||
| Prime Minister | VMRO-DPMNE | ||||
 Georgia (country) |
President President of Georgia The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government... |
UNM | |||
 Moldova |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Moldova The Prime Minister of Moldova is Moldova's head of government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the President and exercises executive power along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.-Moldavian Democratic Republic :... |
PLDM Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova is a political party in the Republic of Moldova. The Party's Founding Congress was held on December 8, 2007 and Vlad Filat was elected as president.... |
|||
| Bosniak Member of the Presidency Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Overview:... |
SDA Party of Democratic Action The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population... |
||||
 Turkey |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Turkey The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet.... |
AKP Justice and Development Party The name Justice and Development Party is used by a several political parties:* Justice and Development Party * Justice and Development Party * Justice and Development Party * Justice and Development Party... |
The party has also other two Heads of State but they don't normally attend the meetings since the other leaders of their countries are the ones that attend. They are FYROM President Gjorge Ivanov (FYROM, VMRO-DPMNE) and Turkey President Abdullah Gul
Abdullah Gül
Dr. Abdullah Gül, GCB is the 11th and current President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002-03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07....
(Turkey, AKP
AKP
-Companies:* Aamir Khan Productions, an Indian motion picture production and distribution company, based in Mumbai.-Political parties:* Justice and Development Party of Turkey , a Turkish political party* Ang Kapatiran, a Philippine political party...
)
EPP in the Council of Europe
The Group of the EPP in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
defends freedom of expression and information, as well as freedom of movement of ideas and religious tolerance. It promotes the principle of subsidiarity and local autonomy, as well as the defence of national, social and other minorities. The EPP/CD Group is led by Italian UDC membre Luca Volonte.
EPP in the OSCE
The "EPP and like-minded Group" in the OSCE parliamentary assembly is the most active political group of that organization. The Group meets on a regular basis and promotes the EPP positions at levels of decision-making process. The members of the EPP Group also participate in election monitoring missions of the OSCE and are committed in promoting democratic values and practices.The Group is chaired by Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden) and its Vice Presidents are: Consiglio Di Nino
Consiglio Di Nino
Consiglio Di Nino is a businessman and Canadian Senator.Born in Italy, Di Nino immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of 13...
(Canada), Vilija Aleknaitė Abramikiene (Lithuania), Laura Allegrini (Italy) and George Tsereteli (Georgia).
EPP in NATO
Following the by-laws of the Party, the EPP is also present in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO-PA) and forms the “EPP and Associated Members” Group. It is an active political group which is led by German CDUChristian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union may refer to:* Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union...
politician Karl Lamers, who is also the current President of the NATO-PA.
EPP and the US
The EPP has close relations with the International Republican InstituteInternational Republican Institute
Founded in 1983, the International Republican Institute is an organization, funded by the United States government, that conducts international political programs, sometimes labeled 'democratization programs'....
(IRI), an organization funded by the American government specially to promote democracy and democratization. EPP and IRI cooperate in the framework of the 'European Partnership Initiative'.
EPP President Wilfried Martens endorsed Sen. John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for president
Presidential nominee
In United States politics and government, the term presidential nominee has two distinct meanings.The first is the person chosen by the primary voters and caucus-goers of a political party to be the party's nominee for President of the United States...
, in the 2008 United States election (McCain is also IRI Chairman).
In 2011 Martens and McCain have made some joint press statements expressing their concerns on the state of democracy in Ukraine and politically motivated trial against former PM Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
.
Global networks
The EPP is the European wing of two centre-right global multilateral organizations: the International Democrat UnionInternational Democrat Union
The International Democrat Union, abbreviated to IDU, is a centre-right international alliance of conservative and liberal-conservative political parties. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the IDU comprises 45 full or associate members...
(IDU) and the Christian Democrat International (CDI).
European institutions
At present the European People's Party leads all the main European institutions:| Organisation | Institution | Number of seats |
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| European Commission European Commission The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union.... |
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| European Council European Council The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy... |
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| European Parliament European Parliament The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world... |
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| Committee of the Regions Committee of the Regions The Committee of the Regions is European Union's assembly of local and regional representatives that provides sub-national authorities with a direct voice within the EU's institutional framework.... |
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 Council of Europe |
Parliamentary Assembly Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an... |
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Centre for European Studies
Following the 2008 revision of the EU Regulation that governs European political parties allowing the creation of European foundations affiliated to Europarties, the EPP established in the same year its official foundation/think tank, the Centre for European Studies (CES). The CES includes as members all the major national think tanks and foundations affiliated to EPP member parties: Konrad Adenauer FoundationKonrad Adenauer Foundation
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation is a German political party foundation associated with the centre-right Christian Democratic Union . The foundation's headquarters are located in Saint Augustine and Berlin. Globally, the KAS has 78 offices and runs programs in over 100 countries...
(CDU), Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSU), Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies
FAES
FAES is the acronym for the Spanish think tank association Fundacion para el Análisis y los Estudios Sociales, translated as Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies. It has strong links with the Partido Popular. It is known as the "Popular Party's ideas laboratory"...
(PP), Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy
Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy
The Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy is the official think-tank of the Greek conservative New Democracy party, and named after the party's founder, Constantine Karamanlis. It was founded in Athens in January 1998 with the aim of promoting the principles of liberal democracy and the...
(ND), Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation
Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation
The Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation is a Democracy Foundation closely linked to the Moderate Party. It focuses on training of politicians active in the Moderate Party’s sister parties, especially women and youth engaged in politics, in countries where the aid is believed to be of best use...
(MOD), the Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party
Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party
The Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party, PolAk for short, is the educational institution of the Austrian People's Party ....
(ÖVP) and others. During the 2009 European elections campaign, the CES launched a successful web-based campaign module 'tellbarroso.eu' to support Jose Manuel Barroso, the EPP candidate, for re-election as Commission President.
The Budapest-based Robert Schuman Institute and the Luxembourg-based Robert Schuman Foundation are also affiliated with the European People's Party.
EPP Associations
EPP is linked to many specific associations which focus in specific groups and which many times, by their own, organise seminars, forums, publications and other activities. Those associations are:European Democrat Students (EDS)
EDSEuropean Democrat Students
European Democrat Students is a pan-European centre-right student and youth political association, being the official studnet wing of the EPP, representing over 1.600.000 students and young people in 43 member organisations from 36 countries in Europe...
is the official students’ organisation of the EPP. Since it was founded in 1961, EDS brings together students and young political leaders from all over Europe to promote a political pro-European exchange.
Although being a students’ organisation, and therefore taking a special interest in topics like the Bologna Process
Bologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
, the organisation is especially aware of the importance of promoting values like freedom, democracy and human rights.
Led by Juraj Antal, the structure has 40 member organisations, representing nearly 500,000 students across the continentand currently, it's represented in 31 countries, including non-EU member states like Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
.
EDS is not a centralised organisation, it is an “organisation of organisations”, a networking structure whose general aim is to bundle the power of the various members in order to give young people and students a strong voice.
Every year the organisation hosts Summer and Winter universities and several seminars. It also publishes a bi-annual magazine called “Bullseye” and campaigns, through various forms, for the interests of young people.
European Senior Citizen’s Union (ESCU)
Founded in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1995 and led by CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
member Bernhard Worms, ESCU is the largest political senior citizens’ organisation in Europe.
The ESCU is represented in 26 states with 45 organisations and about 500,000 members and it's dedicated to the advancement of rights of European senior citizens and their engagement in society. The aims of the ESCU are the promotion of the role of the elderly in ageing European societies, the fight against the discrimination of the elderly, the European pension systems, seniors and volunteering, intergenerational relationship and participation.
European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW)
The EUCDW is the workers' organisation of the EPP with 24 member organisations from 18 different countries.As the officially recognized EPP association of workers, the EUCDW is led by Elmar Brok
Elmar Brok
Elmar Brok is a German Member of the European Parliament and the former Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs. He was elected on the CDU ticket and sits with the European People's Party group...
, MEP
MEP
MEP may refer to:* Member of the European Parliament, an elected politician in the European Union * Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing, a part of the building design industry...
, and aims: to press for the political unification of a democratic Europe; to promote the development of the EPP on the basis of Christian-social teaching; to represent and defend worker interests in European Policy; to work for the achievement of Christian-social principles and policies in the European workers' movements; to step up co-operation with the workers and their representatives to realise step by step the European Social Model. Therefore, in the last years, the EUCDW has made a lot of effort in influencing employment policy and defending an undivided Europe of social justice.
Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Union (SME Union)
The SME UNION of the EPP is the network of pro-business Christian Democrat, Conservative and Liberal politicians and political organisations. Its main objective is to shape EU policy in a more SME friendly way in close cooperation with the SME Circle of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, DG Enterprise and the SME UNION members within the EPP member parties. The importance of the work of the SME UNION can be seen in the fact that SMEs are considered as the key driver for sustainable jobs, growth and prosperity.Its top priority is to reform the legal framework for SMEs all over Europe and to promote and support the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises which - due to their willingness to take risks and responsibility - are the engine of the European economy.
The SME-UNION is led by Nadezhda Neynsky.
Women of the European People’s Party (EPP Women)
EPP Women is recognised by the EPP as the official association of women from all like-minded political parties of Europe. EPP Women have over 40 member organisations from countries of the European Union and beyond. All member organisations are women‘s organisations from political parties which are members of the EPP.EPP Women, led by Doris Pack
Doris Pack
Doris Pack is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament . She served as a member of the Bundestag 1974–1983 and 1985–1989. She is a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, part of the European People's Party...
, is dedicated to the advancement of women‘s political participation throughout Europe and to the promotion of important women-related issues.
Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP)
YEPPYouth of the European People's Party
Youth of the European People's Party is an umbrella organization of European political youth organisations and is the official youth wing of the European People's Party. YEPP bring together over 54 Centre-Right youth political organisations from over 35 countries all over Europe...
, led by Csaba Dömötör, is EPP‘s official youth organisation, self-governed by its own statutes, political program and elected representatives. YEPP’s members are national partypolitical youth organisations.
The purpose of all 51 member organisations as well as for YEPP is to provide young people a channel in order to influence the shaping of their societies with democratic means and centre-right, Christian Democratic and conservative ideas. Through its member organisations YEPP brings together between one and two million young people in 38 countries of Europe. This makes YEPP the largest party-political youth organisation in Europe.
Membership
Within the EPP there are three kinds of members: full membres, associate membres and observers.Full members are all parties from EU states. They have absolute rights to vote in all the organs and on all the matters; meanwhile associate members have the same voting rights except for matters concerning EU structure or policies. These associate membres are parties from EU-candidate countries, EFTA
EFTA
EFTA may refer to:* European Family Therapy Association, an NGO.* European Fair Trade Association, an association of eleven Fair Trade importers in nine European countries....
countries and also of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was an institution aimed at strengthening peace, democracy, human rights and economy in the countries of South Eastern Europe from 1999-2008. It was replaced by the Regional Co-operation Council in February 2008...
if approved by the Political Assembly.
On the other hand, observer parties can participate in all the activities of the EPP and attend the Congresses and Political Assemblies, but do not have any voting rights.
Finally, there’s a special membership status which are the “supporting members”, which is granted by the Presidency to individuals and associations. Although the do not have voting rights, the can be invited by the President to attend meetings of certain organs of the party.
It´s worth noting that commissioners Dacian Ciolos
Dacian Cioloş
Dacian Cioloş is a Romanian engineer and politician. In the Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu cabinet, he was Agriculture Minister from October 2007 to December 2008...
, Kristalina Georgieva
Kristalina Georgieva
Kristalina Ivanova Georgieva is a Bulgarian economist and politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response in the second college of the Barroso Commission....
and Andris Piebalgs
Andris Piebalgs
Andris Piebalgs is a Latvian politician and diplomat, currently serving as European Commissioner for Development at the European Commission. Between 2004 and 2010 he served as Commissioner for Energy.-Career:...
are members of the EPP though they do not belong to any national party in their conuntries.
Full member parties
- Austrian People's PartyAustrian People's PartyThe Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
(ÖVP)
-
- Christian Democratic and FlemishChristian Democratic and FlemishThe Christian Democratic and Flemish is a political party of Belgium, formerly called Christian People's Party...
(CD&V) - Humanist Democratic CentreHumanist Democratic CentreThe Humanist Democratic Centre is a Francophone Christian democratic political party in Belgium. The cdH currently participates in the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Government of the French Community and the Walloon Government.- History :...
(CDH)
- Christian Democratic and Flemish
- Democrats for a Strong BulgariaDemocrats for a Strong BulgariaDemocrats for a Strong Bulgaria is a political party in Bulgaria established by former Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov . The motto of the party is "For a Strong Bulgaria in Unified Europe".- History :...
- Union of the Democratic Forces
- Citizens for European Development of BulgariaCitizens for European Development of BulgariaCitizens for European Development of Bulgaria , abbreviated GERB , is a Bulgarian centre-right political party established on March 13 2006. It has been Bulgaria's ruling party since 2009....
- Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (Bulgaria)The Democratic Party is a center-right party in Bulgaria led by Alexander Pramatarski. It is part of the United Democratic Forces. The United Democratic Forces won in the 2001 elections 18.2 % of the popular vote and 51 out of 240 seats...
(DP) - Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union-People's UnionBulgarian Agrarian People's Union-People's UnionThe Agrarian People's Union , until 2006 known as the Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union – People's Union , is a conservative agrarian party in Bulgaria....
- Democratic RallyDemocratic RallyThe Democratic Rally , is a centre-right political party in Cyprus, led by Nicos Anastasiades.The party was founded on 4 July 1976 by veteran politician Glafkos Klerides. Clerides served as Cyprus president from 1993 until 2003....
- Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's PartyChristian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's PartyThe Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party is a political party in the Czech Republic expressing Christian democratic views...
(KDU-CSL) - TOP 09
- Conservative People's PartyConservative People's Party (Denmark)The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
(KF) - Christian DemocratsChristian Democrats (Denmark)The Christian Democrats are a political party in Denmark. The party was founded in 1970 to oppose the liberalization of restrictions on pornography and the legalization of abortion....
- Union of Pro Patria and Res PublicaUnion of Pro Patria and Res PublicaUnion of Pro Patria and Res Publica is an Estonian Liberal Conservative political party. It was founded on 4 June 2006 when two conservative parties, Pro Patria Union and Res Publica merged. Up to the 2007 parliamentary elections, the party held 32 seats out of 101 in the Riigikogu and one of...
- National Coalition Party (KOK)
- Union for a Popular MovementUnion for a Popular MovementThe Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
(UMP)
- Christian Democratic UnionChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
(CDU) - Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU)
- New DemocracyNew Democracy (Greece)New Democracy is the main centre-right political party and one of the two major parties in Greece. It was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic...
(ND)
- Fidesz – Hungarian Civic UnionFidesz – Hungarian Civic UnionThe Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union is a major conservative party in Hungary. At the 2010 election in Hungary, Fidesz-KDNP won a two-thirds majority of seats by gaining 52% of the votes, with Fidesz winning 227 seats and KDNP winning 36...
- Christian Democratic People's PartyChristian Democratic People's Party (Hungary)The Christian Democratic People's Party is a political party in Hungary.- History :The party was founded in 1944 by Hungarian Catholic statesmen, intellectuals, and ecclesiastical such as Bishop Vilmos Apor, Béla Kovrig , László Varga and General József Pálffy, among others...
(KDNP)
- Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
(FG)
- The People of FreedomThe People of FreedomThe People of Freedom is a centre-right political party in Italy. With the Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties of the current Italian party system....
(PdL) - Union of the Centre (UdC)
- Populars for the South
- New Era PartyNew Era PartyThe New Era Party , abbreviated to JL, was a centre-right political party in Latvia. Founded in 2002, the party merged with Civic Union and Society for Other Politics to form Unity in 2011....
(JL) - Civic UnionCivic Union (Latvia)The Civic Union was a Latvian political party. It was founded in 2008 and most of its members came from the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK and New Era Party. It has been described as centre-right or right-wing....
(PS)
- Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD)
- Christian Social People's PartyChristian Social People's PartyThe Christian Social People's Party , abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian Democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, it is strongly pro-European...
(CSV)
- Nationalist PartyNationalist Party (Malta)The Nationalist Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Labour Party. It was founded by Fortunato Mizzi in 1880 as the Anti-Reform Party, opposing taxation decreed by the British colonial authorities and measures to Anglicise the educational and the...
(PN)
- Christian Democratic AppealChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA)
- Civic PlatformCivic PlatformCivic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President...
(PO) - Polish People's Party (PSL)
- Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party (Portugal)The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party...
(PSD) - Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party (CDS-PP)
- Christian-Democratic National Peasants' PartyChristian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romania)The Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party is a Romanian Christian-Democratic party...
(PNŢCD) - Democratic Liberal PartyDemocratic Liberal Party (Romania)The Democratic Liberal Party is a populist, centre-right party in Romania. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance...
(PD-L) - Democratic Union of Hungarians in RomaniaDemocratic Union of Hungarians in RomaniaThe Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, is the main political organisation representing the ethnic Hungarians of Romania....
(UDMR)
- Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic PartySlovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic PartyThe Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party is a liberal conservative political party in Slovakia.-Ideology:SDKU-DS is a centre-right party, and recently, after the general elections, is talking with their centre right partners to form a new government...
(SDKÚ-DS) - Party of the Hungarian CoalitionParty of the Hungarian CoalitionThe Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
(SMK) - Christian Democratic MovementChristian Democratic MovementThe Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
(KDH)
- Slovenian Democratic PartySlovenian Democratic PartyThe Slovenian Democratic Party , known until 2003 as the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-right liberal conservative and Christian democratic party...
(SDS) - New Slovenia Christian People's Party (NSi)
- Slovenian People's PartySlovenian People's PartyThe Slovenian People's Party is a rural-based conservative political party in Slovenia. Formed in 1988 under the name of Slovenian Peasant Union as the first non-Communist political organization in Yugoslavia, it merged with the Slovene Christian Democrats to form the present-day party in 2000...
(SLS)
- People's PartyPeople's Party (Spain)The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
(PP) - Democratic Union of CataloniaDemocratic Union of CataloniaThe Democratic Union of Catalonia is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. Together with the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, it is part of the Convergence and Union coalition.It describes itself as Catalan nationalist and Christian Democrat....
- Moderate PartyModerate PartyThe Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament...
(M or MSP) - Christian DemocratsChristian Democrats (Sweden)The Christian Democrats ) is a political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1964 but did not enter parliament until 1985 in an electoral cooperation with the Centre Party and on the Christian Democrats' own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004 is Göran Hägglund. He succeeded Alf...
(KD)
Associate members
- Croatian Democratic UnionCroatian Democratic UnionThe Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
(HDZ) - Croatian Peasant PartyCroatian Peasant PartyThe Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
(HSS)
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity
- Conservative Party (H)
- Democratic Party of SerbiaDemocratic Party of SerbiaThe Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
(DSS) - G17 PlusG17 PlusG17 Plus , abbreviated to G17+, is a centre-right political party in Serbia. With 22 seats in the National Assembly, it is the third-largest party, and currently participates in a coalition with, amongst others, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party...
- Christian Democratic People's PartyChristian Democratic People's PartySeveral countries have political parties that use the name "Christian Democratic People's Party."*Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland*Christian Democratic People's Party of Hungary*Christian Democratic People's Party of Romania...
(CVP)
Observer members
- Democratic Party of AlbaniaDemocratic Party of AlbaniaThe Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...
- Belarusian Popular Front (BNF)
- United Civil Party of BelarusUnited Civil Party of BelarusThe United Civil Party of Belarus is a centre-right, liberal-conservative party in Belarus. The party opposes the government of Alexander Lukashenko, generally participates in the country's elections, but doesn't have a single member in parliament...
(AHP)
- Party of Democratic ActionParty of Democratic ActionThe Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...
(SDA) - Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and HerzegovinaCroatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an observer member of the European People's Party ....
(HDZBiH) - Party of Democratic ProgressParty of Democratic ProgressThe Party of Democratic Progress is a Serbian political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the third-largest party in Republika Srpska.-History:...
(PDP)
- Democratic Centre (DC)
- Christian DemocratsChristian Democrats (Finland)The Christian Democrats is a Christian democratic political party in Finland. Formerly known as the Finnish Christian League , the Christian Democrats have six seats in the Finnish Parliament and one in the European Parliament.The party was founded in 1958, chiefly from the Christian faction of...
(KD)
- United National Movement (UNM)
- South Tyrolese People's Party (SVP)
- Christian-Democratic People's PartyChristian-Democratic People's Party (Moldova)The Christian Democratic People's Party is a Christian democratic political party in Moldova. In the last legislative elections on March 6, 2005, the party won 9.1% of the popular vote and 11 out of 101 seats. Led by Iurie Roşca, the CDPP and the liberal PNL are the only major political parties in...
- Liberal Democratic Party of MoldovaLiberal Democratic Party of MoldovaThe Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova is a political party in the Republic of Moldova. The Party's Founding Congress was held on December 8, 2007 and Vlad Filat was elected as president....
(PLDM)
- Christian People's PartyChristian People's PartyChristian People's Party is a name or former name of several European and Latin American Christian Democratic parties including:* the Christian People's Party * the Christian Democratic Party * Christian People's Party...
(KrF)
- San Marinese Christian Democratic PartySan Marinese Christian Democratic PartyThe Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party is a centre-right, Christian-democratic political party in San Marino.PDCS is an observer member of the European People's Party...
(PDCS)
- Alliance of Vojvodina HungariansAlliance of Vojvodina HungariansThe Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians ; , Savez vojvođanskih Mađara ) is an ethnic Hungarian political party in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. Its chairman is István Pásztor. The former party chairman József Kasza is now its honorary president...
(VMSZ) - Democratic Party of SerbiaDemocratic Party of SerbiaThe Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
(DSS) - G17 PlusG17 PlusG17 Plus , abbreviated to G17+, is a centre-right political party in Serbia. With 22 seats in the National Assembly, it is the third-largest party, and currently participates in a coalition with, amongst others, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party...
- Justice and Development PartyJustice and Development Party (Turkey)The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
(AK PARTİ)
- People's Union "Our Ukraine" (NSNU)
- People's Movement of UkrainePeople's Movement of UkraineThe People's Movement of Ukraine is a Ukrainian center-right political party...
(Rukh) - All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland"
External links
- European People's Party EPP portal site
- EPP YouTube page
- myEPP.eu private social network
- myEPP.tv webtv
- CES the EPP think-tank
- tellBarroso.eu – a 2009 EPP campaign initiative by its think-tank, CES
- EPP Group in the European Parliament
- EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions
- EPP Group in the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly
- EPP Youth (YEPP)
- EPP Students (EDS)
- EPP Women
- EPP Seniors (ESU)
- EPP SME Union
- EPP Workers (EUCDW)