European Green Party
Template:Short description Template:Cleanup reorganize Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox political party Template:Green politics sidebar The European Green Party (EGP), also referred to as European Greens, is a transnational, European political party representing national parties from across Europe who share Green values.
The European Greens works closely with the Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) parliamentary group in the European Parliament which is formed by elected Green party members along with the European Free Alliance, European Pirate Party and Volt Europa. The European Greens' partners include its youth wing the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), the Green European Foundation (GEF) and the Global Greens family.
Green parties participate in the governments of two countries in Europe: Latvia (The Progressives) and Spain (Catalunya en Comú/Sumar). They also externally support the government in Poland (Zieloni/Civic Coalition).
Ideology and positions
The European Greens have committed themselves to the basic tenets of Green politics as seen across Western Europe, namely environmental responsibility, climate action, individual freedom, inclusive democracy, diversity, social justice, gender equality, global sustainable development and non-violence.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The European Greens was the first party to form out of various national movements to become a European entity, committed to the integration of Europe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The party aims to amplify the views of member parties by having common policy positions, mutual election manifestos, and cohesive European election campaigns. The European Greens also has networks which brings Green politicians together, such as the Local Councillors Network.<ref name="History of the European Green Party" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charter
According to its charter,<ref name="charter">Template:Cite web</ref> the European Greens is working towards a just and sustainable transition towards societies "respectful of human rights and built upon the values of environmental responsibility, freedom, justice, diversity and non-violence". The charter's guiding principles provide a framework for the political actions taken by member parties.
The priorities outlined in the charter include protecting human health and wellbeing, maintaining biological diversity, combatting global warming, transitioning to a just and sustainable economy, strengthening inclusive democracies, safeguarding diversity, and ensuring social justice.
History
Green politics in Europe emerged from several grassroots political movements, including the peace movements, the ecology movement and movements for women's rights.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref>
The anti-nuclear movement in Germany first had political expression as Vereinigung Die Grünen, which formed in March 1979, and established itself as a party for the European Parliament in January 1980.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Similarly, activists in Britain's Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament had formed the Ecology Party in 1975.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref> However, it also brought in ecological movements, which had become active across Western European nations in the 1970s.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Environmental groups became especially political after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, which strengthened groups such as the Italian Green Party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the Netherlands, feminists dominated GroenLinks party.<ref name=":2" /> Elements of all these national parties would go on to form the European Green Party.
Representatives from these and other parties sat in the European Parliament after the 1984 European Parliament election.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> The following 11 members of this grouping, which was briefly known as the Rainbow Group, came from parties which went on to be part of the European Greens:<ref name=":4" />
- 1 Agalev MEP and 1 Ecolo MEP from Belgium
- 1 Pacifist Socialist MEP and 1 Radicals MEP from the Netherlands
- 7 Grünen MEPs from Germany
The European Green Party itself was officially founded at the 4th Congress of the European Federation of Green Parties on 20–22 February 2004 in Rome.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the convention, 32 Green parties from across Europe joined this new pan-European party.<ref name="History of the European Green Party">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":5">Template:Cite book</ref> As such, the European Greens became a trans-national party, and the very first European political party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":5" />
In the 2004 European Parliament election, member parties won 35 Seats and the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament secured 43 in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 2009 European Parliament election, even though the European Parliament was reduced in size, the European Greens' member parties won 46 seats, the best result of the Green Parties in 30 years. The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament secured 55 seats in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 2014 European Parliament election, the Green candidates were José Bové and Ska Keller. These elections marked the first time there were primaries including Spitzenkandidaten at the European elections, which allows Europeans to not only vote for who should represent them in the European Parliament, but also help to decide who should lead the European Commission. In May they presented a common programme including the Green New Deal at the launch of the European Greens' campaign which called for "a new direction of economic policy aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and improving our quality of life". The slogan of the campaign was 'Change Europe, vote Green'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament obtained 50 seats in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The candidates for the 2019 European Parliament election were Ska Keller and Bas Eickhout, who campaigned for climate protection, a social Europe, more democracy and stronger rule of law.<ref name="theguardian.com">Template:Cite news</ref> That year, the Greens made the strongest ever showing across Europe,<ref name="theguardian.com"/> in part due to rising public awareness about climate change<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the impact of youth movements for climate. The strongest surge was in Germany as Alliance 90/The Greens replaced the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Germany as the second-strongest party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament obtained 74 seats in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Greens' results signified a new balance of power<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as the European People's Party (EPP) and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) lost their majority.
By 2023, The Economist analysed that "the policies espoused by environmentalists sit squarely at the centre of today's political agenda".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout were elected by the European Greens to be lead candidates for the 2024 European Parliament election. The campaign ran under the slogan "Choose Courage".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They were elected by more than 300 delegates at an Extended Congress in Lyon, France in February 2024. The campaign is focused on a Green and Social Deal, and the fight against the rise of the far right in Europe.
At the 2024 Maastricht Debate, organised by Politico and the University of Maastricht, European Green top candidate Bas Eickhout asked directly to Ursula von der Leyen, top candidate of the European People's Party, what her position was towards the far right in Europe, European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Identity and Democracy. Von der Leyen told the audience that a collaboration with the ECR "depends very much on how the composition of the Parliament is, and who is in what group."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Numerous analyses in European quality media consider this as a win for the Greens<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the turning point of the 2024 election campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The European Greens criticised heavily that von der Leyen, as incumbent president of the European Commission and lead candidate for the EPP, opened the door to collaboration with the far right.
Organisational structure
Template:Multiple image The European Green Party is a European political party, constituted out of political parties from European countries. Parties can also become associate members. Members of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament not belonging to a member party can be admitted as a special member with speaking rights but no vote.
The governing bodies of the EGP are the Council and the Committee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Council takes place twice a year and is the main decision-making body of the European Greens and consists of delegates of member parties. During Councils, delegates from European Greens parties set a common political direction, linked to the development of the European project and its values. They do so by debating and vote on resolutions on key issues in Europe. Delegates are allotted based on their most recent European or national election results. Each party has at least two delegates. consists of delegates of member parties. These are allotted on the basis of their most recent European or national election results. Each party has at least two delegates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Committee consists of thirteen members, including two Co-Chairs (one man and one woman), a Secretary General a Treasurer and a representative from FYEG. They are responsible for daily political affairs, execution of the Council's decisions and the activities of the EGP office and staff. Co-Chairs Ciarán Cuffe and Vula Tsetsi, Secretary General Benedetta De Marte, Treasurer Marc Gimenez, Christina Kessler from FYEG and Committee Members Rasmus Nordqvist, Sibylle Steffan, Marina Verronneau, Marieke van Doorninck, Jelena Miloš, Elīna Pinto, Rui Tavares, and Joanna Kamińska were elected at the 39th European Green Party in Dublin, Eire.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The EGP has had several Co-Chairs.
Co-chairs of the European Greens
- The Congress is an enlarged meeting of the Council which is convened by the Council at least once every 5 years and hosts more delegates.
Networks
The EGP hosts a collection of networks that have specific special interest focus, including:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Balkan Network
- Mediterranean Network
- Gender Network
- European Queer Greens
- Local Councillors Networks
- European Green Disability Network
- European Network of Green Seniors
Partnerships
- Federation of Young European Greens
- Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament
- Global Greens
- Green European Foundation
Membership
Full members
Associate members
Former members
| Country | Year left | Name | MEPs (current) | National MPs (current) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flag | 2023 | Belarusian Green Party | n/a – defunct | |
| Template:Flag | 2012 | De Grønne | n/a – defunct | |
| Template:Flag | 2015 | Green Left | n/a – defunct | |
| 2024 | LMP – Hungary's Green Party | Template:Composition bar | Template:Composition bar | |
| Template:Flag | 2019 | Latvian Green Party | – | Template:Composition bar |
| Template:Flag | 2017 | The Greens | – | – |
| Template:Flag | 2024 | Youth Party – European Greens | – | – |
| Template:Flag | 2016Template:Efn | Green Alternative | Not in EU | – |
| Template:Flag | 2012 | Confederation of the Greens | – | |
Individual members
The EGP also includes a number of individual members, although, as most other European parties, it has not sought to develop mass individual membership.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Below is the evolution of individual membership of the EGP since 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> {{#chart:Individual members of European political parties.Line.chart |arg:cols=year,EGP }}
Funding
As a registered European political party, the EGP is entitled to European public funding, which it has received continuously since 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Below is the evolution of European public funding received by the EGP. {{#chart:Evolution_of_public_funding_of_European_political_parties.Line.chart |arg:where=party |arg:eq=EGP |arg:cols=year,maximum_allocated,amount_received }}
In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the EGP also raises private funds to co-finance its activities. As of 2025, European parties must raise at least 10% of their reimbursable expenditure from private sources, while the rest can be covered using European public funding.Template:Efn
Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by the EGP.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="epfo">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Efn {{#chart:Contributions raised by European political parties.Line.chart |arg:cols=year,EGP }} {{#chart:Donations raised by European political parties.Line.chart |arg:cols=year,EGP }}
Electoral standing and political representation
Template:Update Template:Main The table below shows the results of the Greens in each election to the European Parliament, in terms of seats and votes. It also shows how many European Commissioners the European Greens have, and who led the parliamentary group. It also lists how the Green parliamentary group and supra-national organisations was named and what European parliamentary group they joined.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Year | MEPs | MEPs % | Votes % | EC | Leaders | EP Subgroup | EP group | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0 | 0 | 2.4% | 0 | none | none | none | Coordination of European Green and Radical Parties |
| 1984 | 11 | 2.5% | 4.2% | 0 | Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (1984–86) Bram van der Lek (1984–86) Brigitte Heinrich (1986) François Roelants du Vivier (1986) Frank Schwalba-Hoth (1986–87) Paul Staes (1987–88) Wilfried Telkämper (1987–89) |
Green Alternative European Link | Rainbow Group | European Green Coordination |
| 1989 | 25 | 4.8% | 7.4% | 0 | Maria Amelia Santos (1989–90) Alexander Langer (1990) Adelaide Aglietta (1990–94) Paul Lannoye (1990–94) |
Green Group in the European Parliament | European Green Coordination | |
| 1994 | 21 | 3.7% | 7.4% | 0 | Claudia Roth (1994–98), Alexander Langer (1994–95), Magda Aelvoet (1997–99) |
Green Group in the European Parliament | European Federation of Green Parties | |
| 1999 | 38 | 6.1% | 7.7% | 1Template:Efn | Heidi Hautala (1999–2002), Paul Lannoye (1999–2002), Monica Frassoni (2002–04), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (2002–04) |
European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Federation of Green Parties |
| 2004 | 35 | 4.8% | 7.3% | 0 | Monica Frassoni (2004–09), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (2004–09) |
European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Green Party |
| 2009 | 48Template:Efn | 6.2% | 7.3% | 0 | Rebecca Harms (2009–14), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (2009–14) |
European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Green Party |
| 2014 | 50<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Efn | 6.7% | 7.3% | 0 | Rebecca Harms (2014–2016), Ska Keller (2017–2019), Philippe Lamberts (2014–2019) |
European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Green Party |
| 2019 | 67 | 11.4% | 10.0% | 0 | Ska Keller and Bas Eickhout | European Greens | Greens-EFA | European Green Party |
| 2024 | 55 | 7.6% | 7.4% | 0 | Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout | European Greens | Greens-EFA | European Green Party |
Current electoral standing
| Country | Name | Votes | Total | Last EU election | Votes | Total | Last national election |
Government status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flag | The Greens – The Green Alternative | 532,193 | 3,834,662 | 14.1% | 664,055 | 4,835,469 | 13.9% | Template:Yes | |
| Template:Flag | Template:Flag | Groen | 525,908 | 6,732,157 | 7.8% | 413,836 | 6,780,538 | 6.1% | Template:Yes |
| Template:Flag Template:Flag |
Ecolo | 492,330 | 7.2% | 416,452 | 6.1% | Template:Yes | |||
| Template:Flag | The Greens | EPP | 2,015,320 | 6.1%Template:Efn | EPP | 2,658,548 | 6.3%Template:Efn | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | We Can! | 44,670 | 764,089 | 5.9% | 193,051 | 2,180,411 | 9.1% | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation | 9,232 | 280,935 | 3.3%Template:Efn | 15,762 | 357,712 | 4.4% | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Green Party | 0 | 2,370,765 | did not compete | 53,343 | 5,375,090 | 1.0% | Template:No | |
| Template:Flag | Socialist People's Party | 364,895 | 2.758.855 | 13.2% | 272,304 | 3,569,521 | 7.7% | Template:Yes2 | |
| Template:Flag | Estonian Greens | 5,824 | 332,104 | 1.8% | 10,226 | 561,131 | 1.8% | Template:No | |
| Template:Flag | Green League | 292,892 | 1,830,045 | 16.0% | 354,194 | 3,081,916 | 11.5% | Template:Yes | |
| Template:Flag | Europe Ecology – The Greens | 3,055,023 | 22,654,164 | 13.5% | 973,527 | 22,655,174 | 4.3% | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Alliance 90/The Greens | 7,677,071 | 37,396,889 | 20.5% | 6,852,206 | 46,442,023 | 14.8% | Template:Yes | |
| Template:Flag | Ecologist Greens | 49,099 | 5,656,122 | 0.9% | 0 | 5,769,542 | did not compete | Template:No | |
| Template:Flag | LMP – Hungary's Green Party | 75,498 | 3,470,257 | 2.2% | 404,429 | 5,732,283 | 7.1% | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Green PartyTemplate:Efn | 93,575 | 1,745,230 | 5.4% | 66,911 | 2,202,454 | 3.0% | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Green Europe | 621,492 | 26,783,732 | 2.3% | 1.071.663 | 29,172,085 | 3.6% | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Template:No | ||||||||
| Template:Flag | The Greens | 39.535 | 217,086 | 18.9% | 32.177 | 216,177 | 15.1% | Template:Yes | |
| Template:Flag | AD+PD | 7,142 | 260,212 | did not compete | 0 | 310,665 | did not compete | Template:No | |
| Template:Flag | GroenLinks | 599,283 | 5,497,813 | 10.9% | 1.643.073 | 10,432,726 | 15.75%Template:Efn | Template:Maybe (Election) | |
| Template:Flag | The Greens | EPP | 13,647,311 | 38.5%Template:Efn | EPP | 18,470,710 | 27.4%Template:Efn | Template:No2 | |
| Template:Flag | Ecologist Party "The Greens" | LEFT | 3,314,414 | 6.9%Template:Efn | LEFT | 5,340,890 | 6.3%Template:Efn | Template:No2 | |
| LIVRE | 60,575 | 3,084,505 | 1.8%<ref>Template:Citation</ref>Template:Circular reference | 5,417,715 | 71,232 | 1.3%<ref>Template:Citation</ref>Template:Circular reference | |||
| Template:Flag | Green Party | 0 | 9,069,822 | did not compete | 23,085 | 5,908,331 | 0.4% | Template:No | |
| Template:Flag | Youth Party – European Greens | 0 | 482,075 | did not compete | 0 | 891,097 | did not compete | Template:No | |
| Template:Flag | Equo | 0 | 22,426,066 | did not compete | 582,306 | 24,258,228 | 2.4% | Template:Yes2 | |
| Template:Flag | Esquerra VerdaTemplate:Efn | LEFT | Run with UPTemplate:Efn | 0 | did not compete | Template:Yes | |||
| Catalunya en Comú | LEFT | Run with UPTemplate:Efn | LEFT | Run with UP | Template:Yes | ||||
| Template:Flag | Green Party | 478,258 | 4,151,470 | 11.5% | 285,899 | 6,535,271 | 4.4% | Template:Yes | |
| European Greens | 15,061,100 | 177,624,368 | 8.48% | 12,240,131 | 214,300,854 | 5.71% | |||
Current political representation in European institutions
| Organisation | Institution | Number of seats |
|---|---|---|
| Template:EU | European Parliament | Template:EUPP data |
| European Commission | Template:EUPP data | |
| European Council (Heads of Government) |
Template:EUPP data | |
| Council of the European Union (Participation in Government) |
||
| Committee of the Regions | Template:EUPP data | |
| Template:Flag (as part of Template:Wikidata) | Parliamentary Assembly | Template:Composition barTemplate:Wikidata |
See also
- European political party
- Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations
- European political foundation
- Alter-globalization
- Anti-nuclear movement
- Club of Rome
- Common good (economics)
- Communalism
- Ecofeminism
- Ecological economics
- Environmental movement
- Ethics of care
- Participatory economics
- Political ecology
- Tobin tax
- Universal basic income
- Via Campesina
Notes
References
External links
Template:European political parties Template:Political organisations at European Union level Template:Green parties Template:Authority control Template:Portal bar