European People's Party

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox political party The European People's Party (EPP) is a European political party with Christian democratic,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> liberal-conservative,<ref name=":1"/> and conservative<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="reuters"/> member parties. A transnational organisation, it is composed of other political parties. Founded by primarily Christian-democratic parties in 1976, it has since broadened its membership to include liberal-conservative parties and parties with other centre-right political perspectives.<ref name="reuters">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On 31 May 2022, the party elected as its President Manfred Weber, who was also EPP's Spitzenkandidat in 2019.

The EPP has been the largest party in the European Parliament since 1999 and in the European Council since 2002. It is also the largest party in the current European Commission. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola are from the EPP. Many of the founding fathers of the European Union were also from parties that later formed the EPP.

The EPP includes major centre-right parties such as the CDU/CSU of Germany, the Nationalist Party of Malta, the People's Party (PP) of Spain, Forza Italia of Italy, ÖVP of Austria, HDZ of Croatia, PNL of Romania, Fine Gael of Ireland, National Coalition Party of Finland, New Democracy of Greece, the Moderates of Sweden, the Civic Platform of Poland, the Social Democratic Party of Portugal, and the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria.

History

File:European People's Party (logo).svg
Logo of European People's Party from 2005 to 2015
President Manfred Weber, 2022 Rotterdam EPP Congress
From left to right: Tindemans, Bukman and Santer, former presidents of the EPP
Bonn EPP Congress in 2009

According to its website, the EPP is "the family of the political centre-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilisation of the European continent, and [which] has pioneered the European project from its inception".<ref name="about">Template:Cite web</ref>

The EPP was founded in Luxembourg on 8 July 1976 on the initiative of Jean Seitlinger; Leo Tindemans, then Prime Minister of Belgium, who became the first President of the EPP; and Wilfried Martens, who later became both President of the EPP and Prime Minister of Belgium. It had been preceded by the Secretariat International des partis démocratiques d'inspiration chrétienne, founded in 1925,<ref name="CESvanhecke"/> the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales, founded in 1946<ref name="GOV14I4P455">Template:Cite journal</ref> (or 1948),<ref name="CESvanhecke">"On the Road Towards Transnational Party Cooperation in Europe" by Steven van HeckeTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore in "European View", Volume 3, 2006, from the Centre for European Studies Template:Webarchive</ref> and the European Union of Christian Democrats, founded in 1965.<ref name="GOV14I4P455"/>

In the late 1990s, the Finnish politician Sauli Niinistö negotiated the merger of the European Democrat Union (EDU), 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 the same year.

The EPP has had seven Presidents:

No. Image Name Tenure Party Member state
1 Leo Tindemans
Template:Small
1976–1985 CVP Template:Flag
2 Piet Bukman
Template:Small
1985–1987 CDA Template:Flag
3 Jacques Santer
Template:Small
1987–1990 CSV Template:Flag
4 Wilfried Martens
Template:Small
1990–2013
Template:Ref label
CD&V Template:Flag
5 Joseph Daul
Template:Small
2013–2019 The Republicans Template:Flag
6 Donald Tusk
Template:Small
2019–2022 Civic Platform Template:Flag
7 Manfred Weber
Template:Small
2022– CSU Template:Flag

Platform and manifesto

Leo Varadkar, Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker at an EPP summit in June 2018

Political manifesto and platform

During its Congress in Bucharest in 2012, the EPP updated its political platform after 20 years (since its Congress in Athens in 1992) and approved a political manifesto in which it summarised its main values and policies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Failed verification

The manifesto highlights:

  • Freedom as a central human right, coupled with responsibility
  • Respect for traditions and associations
  • Solidarity to help those in need, who in turn should also make an effort to improve their situation
  • Ensuring solid public finances
  • Preserving a healthy environment
  • Subsidiarity
  • Pluralist democracy and a social market economy

The manifesto also describes the EPP's priorities for the EU, including:

  • European Political Union
  • Direct election of the President of the European Commission
  • Completion of the European Single Market
  • Promotion of the family, improvements in education and health
  • Strengthening of the common immigration and asylum policy, and integrating immigrants
  • Continuation of enlargement of the EU, enhancement of the European Neighbourhood Policy and special relationship frameworks for countries that cannot, or do not want to, join the EU
  • Defining a truly common EU energy policy
  • Strengthening European political parties

Electoral manifesto

As a central part of its campaign for the European elections in 2009, the EPP approved its election manifesto at its Congress in Warsaw in April that year. The manifesto called for:<ref name="2009leaflet">Template:Cite web</ref>

  • Creation of new jobs, continuing reforms and investment in education, lifelong learning, and employment to create opportunities for everyone.
  • Avoidance of protectionism, and coordination of fiscal and monetary policies.
  • Increased transparency and surveillance in financial markets.
  • Making Europe the market leader in green technology.
  • Increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 20 percent of the energy mix by 2020.
  • Family-friendly flexibility for working parents, better child care and housing, family-friendly fiscal policies, encouragement of parental leave.
  • A new strategy to attract skilled workers from the rest of the world to make Europe's economy more competitive, more dynamic and more knowledge-driven.
At its Congress in Warsaw in 2009 the EPP endorsed Barroso for a second term as President of the Commission.

The Fidesz crisis

Concerns that the Hungarian ruling party FideszTemplate:Efn and its leader Viktor Orbán were undermining the rule of law in Hungary caused a split in the EPP in the run-up of the 2019 European Parliament election.<ref>List of European conservative parties showing defections, wavering or coming out against Viktor Orbán Retrieved 5 March 2019</ref> On one hand, the EPP had been reluctant for years to address Fidesz's stance against the rule of law, expressed by the Article 7 proceedings of the European Parliament. On the other hand, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a prominent EPP-member, stated "I believe his [Fidesz's] place is not in the European People's Party".<ref>Orbán vs Juncker for the EPP's future Template:Webarchive Retrieved 5 March 2019</ref> Orbán's campaigns targeting billionaire George Soros<ref>Orbán's campaign against George Soros Retrieved 5 March 2019</ref> and Jean-Claude Juncker<ref>Juncker: Hungary's ruling Fidesz doesn't belong in EPP Retrieved 5 March 2019</ref> carried wide reverberations for Europe questioning the EPP's effort to install its lead candidate Manfred Weber as the next President of the European Commission.<ref>The end of Germany's Orbán affair Retrieved 5 March 2019</ref>

After years of deferring a decision about the Fidesz issue,<ref>How the EPP lost its way Retrieved 27 March 2019.</ref> the EPP was eventually compelled to address the problem two months before the 2019 European elections, as 13 outraged member parties requested the Hungarian party's exclusion from the EPP due to its billboard campaign featuring Jean-Claude Juncker. 190 of the 193 EPP delegates supported the common agreement with Fidesz on 20 March 2019 to partially suspend its membership. According to it, Fidesz was "until further notice" excluded from EPP meetings and internal elections, but remained in the European People's Party Group of the European Parliament. Fidesz did not deliver on its earlier promise to leave the EPP in case of a penalty.<ref>Fidesz MEPs remain in the EPP for now Retrieved 27 March 2019.</ref>

In February 2020, the EPP extended the suspension of Fidesz indefinitely.<ref>EPP prolongs suspension of Hungary's Fidesz indefinitely Retrieved 7 February 2020.</ref>

On 2 April 2020, thirteen parties within the EPP issued a joint statement aimed at Donald Tusk, asking him to expunge Fidesz from the party.<ref>A Fidesz kizárását kéri a Néppárt 13 tagpártja Retrieved 2 April 2020.</ref> Three days before this, the Hungarian Parliament had passed a law, declaring a state of emergency within Hungary, granting Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the right to rule by decree.<ref>Hungary passes law allowing Viktor Orban to rule by decree Template:Webarchive Retrieved 2 April 2020.</ref>

On 3 March 2021, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that Fidesz would leave the EPP group after it changed its internal rules (to allow suspension and expulsion of multiple deputies and their groups), although Fidesz remained a suspended member of the EPP itself.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 18 March 2021, Fidesz decided to leave the European People's Party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In June 2024, The Hungarian Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), who serve in government with Fidesz, left the European People's Party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same month, members of the newly elected Hungarian Tisza Party led by Peter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider, applied to join EPP.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

German investigation

In April 2023, Belgian police and German investigators carried out a raid at the EPP headquarters in Brussels as part of an investigation in Germany.<ref>Philip Blenkinsop and Joern Poltz (4 April 2023), Police raid EPP party's Brussels office in German investigation Reuters.</ref>

Membership

Within the EPP there are three kinds of member organisations: full members, associate members and observers. Full members are parties from EU states. They have absolute rights to vote in all the EPP's organs and on all matters. Associate members have the same voting rights as full members except for matters concerning the EU's structure or policies. These associate members are parties from EU candidate countries and EFTA countries. Observer parties can participate in all the activities of the EPP, and attend the Congresses and Political Assemblies, but they do not have any voting rights.

Special status of "supporting member" is granted by the Presidency to individuals and associations. Although they do not have voting rights, they can be invited by the President to attend meetings of certain organs of the party.

Full members

Country Party Abbr. Lower house seats Upper house Seats Status
Template:AUT Austrian People's Party
Template:Lang
ÖVP Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:BEL Christian Democratic and Flemish
Template:Lang
CD&V Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:BUL Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
GERB Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Democratic Bulgaria
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
DB Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Union of Democratic Forces
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
SDS Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Bulgaria for Citizens Movement
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
BCM Template:Composition bar Template:No
Template:CRO Croatian Democratic Union
Template:Lang
HDZ Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Croatian Demochristian Party
Template:Lang
HDS Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:CYP Democratic Rally
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
DISY Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:CZE Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party
Template:Lang
KDU–ČSL Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
TOP 09 TOP 09 Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:DNK Conservative People's Party
Template:Lang
C Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Christian Democrats
Template:Lang
KD Template:Composition bar Template:No
Template:EST Isamaa I Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:FIN National Coalition Party
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
KOK Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Christian Democrats
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
KD Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:FRA The Republicans
Template:Lang
LR Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Partial
Template:DEU Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Template:Lang
CDU Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Christian Social Union in Bavaria
Template:Lang
CSU Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:GRC New Democracy
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
ND Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:IRL Fine Gael FG Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:ITA Forza Italia FI Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Us Moderates
Template:Lang
NM Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
South Tyrolean People's Party
Template:Lang
SVP Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Union of the Centre
Template:Lang
UdC Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party
Template:Lang
PATT Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No
Popular Alternative
Template:Lang
AP Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No
Popular Base
Template:Lang
BP Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No
Template:LVA Unity
Template:Lang
V Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:LTU Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats
Template:Lang
TS-LKD Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:LUX Christian Social People's Party
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
CSV/PCS Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:MLT Nationalist Party
Template:Lang
PN Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:NLD Christian Democratic Appeal
Template:Lang
CDA Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:POL Civic Coalition
Template:Lang
KO Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Polish People's Party
Template:Lang
PSL Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:PRT Social Democratic Party
Template:Lang
PPD/PSD Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party
Template:Lang
CDS-PP Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Template:ROM National Liberal Party
Template:Lang
PNL Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
UDMR Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No2
People's Movement Party
Template:Lang
PMP Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No
Template:SVK Christian Democratic Movement
Template:Lang
KDH Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Democrats
Template:Lang
D Template:Composition bar Template:No
Hungarian Alliance
Template:Lang
Template:Lang
MA Template:Composition bar Template:No
Slovakia
Template:Lang
Slovensko Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:SVN Slovenian Democratic Party
Template:Lang
SDS Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Slovenian People's Party
Template:Lang
SLS Template:Composition bar Template:No
New Slovenia–Christian Democrats
Template:Lang
NSi Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:ESP People's Party
Template:Lang
PP Template:Composition bar Template:Composition bar Template:No2
Template:SWE Moderate Party
Template:Lang
Template:Party abbr Template:Composition bar Template:Yes
Christian Democrats
Template:Lang
Template:Party abbr Template:Composition bar Template:Yes

Associate members

Template:ALB

Template:BIH

Template:GEO

Template:ISL

Template:MNE

Template:NMK

Template:NOR

Template:SRB

Template:CHE

Template:UKR

Observer members

Template:ARM

Template:BLR

Template:BIH

Template:GEO

Template:Flag

Template:MDA

Template:NOR

Template:SMR

Template:UKR

Former members

Template:ARM

Template:BEL

Template:BLR

Template:FRA

Template:CRO

Template:HUN

Template:ITA

Template:ROM

Template:SVK

Template:ESP

Template:TUR

Template:UKR

Individual members

The EPP 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 EPP since 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> {{#chart:Individual members of European political parties.Line.chart |arg:cols=year,Template:EUPP data }}

Governance

The EPP is governed by the EU Regulation No 1141/2014 on European Political Parties and European Political Foundations and its operations are supervised by the EU Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations.

Presidency

The Presidency is the executive body of the party. It decides on the general political guidelines of the EPP and presides over its Political Assembly. The Presidency is composed of the President, ten Vice-Presidents, the Honorary Presidents, the Secretary General and the Treasurer. The Chairperson of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, the Presidents of the Commission, the Parliament and the Council, and the High Representative (if they are a member of an EPP member party) are all ex officio Vice-Presidents.

President of the EPP Manfred Weber

As of 30 April 2025 the Presidency of the EPP is:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

EPP Political Assembly

The Political Assembly defines the political positions of the EPP between Congresses and decides on membership applications, political guidelines and the budget. The Political Assembly is composed of designated delegates from EPP member parties, associated parties, member associations, and other affiliated groups. The Political Assembly meets at least three times a year.

Congress

The Congress is the highest decision-making body of the EPP. It is composed of delegates from member parties, EPP associations, EPP Group MEPs, the EPP Presidency, national heads of party and government, and European Commissioners who belong to a member party, with the numbers of delegates being weighted according to the EPP's share of MEPs, and individual delegates being elected by member parties according to member parties' rules.Template:Sfn

Under the EPP's statutes, the Congress must meet once every three years, but it also meets normally during the years of elections for the European Parliament (every five years), and extraordinary Congresses have also been summoned. The Congress elects the EPP Presidency every three years, decides on the main policy documents and electoral programmes, and provides a platform for the EPP's heads of government and party leaders.

Funding

As a registered European political party, the EPP 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 EPP. {{#chart:Evolution_of_public_funding_of_European_political_parties.Line.chart |arg:where=party |arg:eq=EPP |arg:cols=year,maximum_allocated,amount_received }}

In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the EPP 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 EPP.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="epfo">Template:Cite web</ref> {{#chart:Contributions raised by European political parties.Line.chart |arg:cols=year,Template:EUPP data }}

{{#chart:Donations raised by European political parties.Line.chart |arg:cols=year,Template:EUPP data }}

Activities within the party

Summit

Reunion Picture at 2011 Summit

EPP leaders meet for the EPP Summit a few hours before each meeting of the European Council in order to formulate common positions. Invitations are sent by the EPP President and attendees include, besides the members of the EPP's presidency, all Presidents and Prime Ministers who are members of the European Council and belong to the EPP; the Presidents of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council, as well as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, provided that they belong to the EPP; Deputy Prime Ministers or other ministers in those cases where the Prime Minister of a country does not belong to an EPP member party; and, where no EPP member party is part of a government, the leaders of the main EPP opposition party.

Ministerial meetings

Following the pattern of the EPP Summit the party also organises regular EPP Ministerial meetings before each meeting of the Council of the European Union, with ministers, deputy ministers, secretaries of state and MEPs in the specific policy field attending:

  • General Affairs
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Economy and Finance
  • Home Affairs
  • Justice
  • Defence
  • Employment and Social Affairs
  • Industry
  • Agriculture
  • Energy
  • Environment<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Other activities

The EPP also organises working groups on different issues on an ad hoc basis, as well as meetings with its affiliated members in the European Commission. It also invites individual Commissioners to the EPP Summit meetings and to EPP Ministerial meetings.

Following amendments to the EU Regulation that governs European political parties in 2007, the EPP, like the other European parties, was responsible for organising a pan-European campaign for the European elections every five years. According to the Lisbon Treaty, the parties must present candidates for President of the European Commission, but the EPP had already done this by endorsing José Manuel Barroso for a second term in April 2009.

The year 2014 saw the first fully-fledged campaign of the EPP ahead of the European elections of that year. The party nominated former Luxembourgish Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker as its candidate for President of the European Commission and led a pan-European campaign in coordination with the national campaigns of all its member parties.

Activities within EU institutions

As of 1 December 2019, the EPP holds the Presidency of the European Commission with Ursula von der Leyen (CDU).

Overview of 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 bar Template:Wikidata

European Commission

Following EPP's victory in the 2019 European Parliament election, Ursula von der Leyen was nominated by the EPP as Commission President. She was endorsed by the European Council and elected by an absolute majority in the European Parliament. On 1 December 2019, the von der Leyen Commission officially took office. It includes 11 EPP officeholders out of 27 total Commissioners.

State Commissioner Portfolio Political party Portrait
Template:Flagicon
Germany
von der LeyenUrsula von der Leyen President CDU File:(Ursula von der Leyen) 2019.07.16. Ursula von der Leyen presents her vision to MEPs 2 (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Latvia
DombrovskisValdis Dombrovskis Executive Vice President – An Economy that Works for the People, Trade Unity File:Valdis Dombrovskis 2009.jpg
Template:Flagicon
Croatia
ŠuicaDubravka Šuica Vice President – Democracy and Demography HDZ File:Hearing of Dubravka Šuica (Croatia) - Democracy and demography (48838221291) (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Greece
SchinasMargaritis Schinas Vice President – Promoting the European Way of Life ND File:EPP Summit, Maastricht, October 2016 (30154973070) (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Austria
HahnJohannes Hahn Commissioner for Budget and Administration ÖVP File:Johannes Hahn - 2023 - P060002-577174 (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Netherlands
HoekstraWopke Hoekstra European Commissioner for Climate Action CDA File:Wopke Hoekstra op bezoek op het ROC Mondriaan 02 (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Ireland
McGuinnessMairead McGuinness Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union FG File:Mairead McGuinness, Ireland-MIP-Europaparlament-by-Leila-Paul-2.jpg
Template:Flagicon
Bulgaria
GabrielIliana Ivanova Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth GERB File:Hearing of Iliana Ivanova at the European Parliament, 2023 (1).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Cyprus
KyriakidesStella Kyriakides Commissioner for Health and Food Safety DISY File:Hearings Hearings Stella Kyriakides (Cyprus) - Health (48828012607) (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Romania
VăleanAdina-Ioana Vălean Commissioner for Transport PNL File:Hearing of Adina-Ioana Vălean (Romania)- Commissioner Designate - European Green Deal (49063874993) (cropped).jpg
Template:Flagicon
Hungary
VárhelyiOlivér Várhelyi Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Ind.Template:Efn File:Hearing of Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary) - Designate - Neighbourhood and Enlargement (49063520601) (cropped).jpg

European Parliament

Template:Main

The EPP has the largest group in the European Parliament: the EPP Group. It currently has 182 Members in the European Parliament and its chairman is the German MEP Manfred Weber.

In every election for the European Parliament candidates elected on lists of member parties of the EPP are obliged to join the EPP Group in the European Parliament.

The EPP Group holds five of the fourteen vice-presidencies of the European Parliament.

European Council

The EPP has 11 out of the 27 EU heads of state or government attending the EPP summit meetings in preparation of the European Council (as of May 2025):

Member state Representative Title Political party Member of the Council since Portrait
Template:Flag Christian Stocker Template:Sort ÖVP 3 March 2025 File:Christian Stocker 2025 (cropped) (cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Rosen Zhelyazkov Template:Sort GERB Template:Dts File:Rosen Zhelyazkov.png
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort HDZ Template:Dts File:Andrej Plenković 2017.jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort CDU Template:Dts File:2024-08-21 Event, CDU, Wahlkampf mit Friedrich Merz in Erfurt 2024 STP 3041 by Stepro (cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort Kok. Template:Dts File:Petteri-Orpo-01 (cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort ND Template:Dts File:Kyriakos Mitsotakis (cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort Unity Template:Dts File:Evika Siliņa (2023-09-15, cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort CSV Template:Dts File:EPP Summit, 19 December, Brussels (54214341758) (cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort KO Template:Dts File:EPP Summit, 29 June, Brussels (53287183894) (cropped2).jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort PSD Template:Dts File:Luis Montenegro at EPP Summit, 21 March, Brussels.jpg
Template:Flag Template:Sortname Template:Sort M Template:Dts File:Ulf Kristersson January 2023.jpg

National legislatures

Country Institution Number of seats
Template:AUT National Council
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Federal Council
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:BEL Chamber of Representatives
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:BUL National Assembly Template:Composition bar
Template:CRO Sabor Template:Composition bar
Template:CYP House of Representatives Template:Composition bar
Template:CZE Chamber of Deputies
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:DNK The Folketing Template:Composition bar
Template:EST Riigikogu Template:Composition bar
Template:FIN Parliament Template:Composition bar
Template:FRA National Assembly
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:DEU Bundestag Template:Composition bar
Template:GRC Parliament Template:Composition bar
Template:HUN Országgyűlés Template:Composition bar
Template:IRL Dáil
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Seanad
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:ITA Chamber of Deputies
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:LVA Saeima Template:Composition bar
Template:LTU Seimas Template:Composition bar
Template:LUX Chamber of Deputies Template:Composition bar
Template:MLT House of Representatives Template:Composition bar
Template:NLD House of Representatives
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:POL Sejm
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:PRT Assembly of the Republic Template:Composition bar
Template:ROU Chamber of Deputies
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:SVK National Council Template:Composition bar
Template:SVN National Assembly Template:Composition bar
Template:ESP Congress of Deputies
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Senate
Template:Small
Template:Composition bar
Template:SWE Riksdag Template:Composition bar

Activities beyond the European Union

In third countries

Through its associate and observer parties the EPP has six head of state or government in non-EU countries:

State Representative Title Political party In power since Portrait
Template:Flag Borjana Krišto Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers HDZ BiH Template:Dts File:Borjana Krišto (2025-06-11).jpg
Template:Flag Maia Sandu President PAS Template:Dts File:Sandu March 2024.jpg
Template:Flag Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova President VMRO-DPMNE Template:Dts File:MK presidential office handover 2024 - Cropped.jpg
Template:Flag Hristijan Mickoski Prime Minister VMRO-DPMNE Template:Dts File:Hristijan Mickoski official portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg
Template:Flag Aleksandar Vučić President SNS Template:Dts File:Aleksandar Vučić 2019 (cropped).jpg

In the Council of Europe

The Group of the EPP in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 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 Davor Ivo Stier, a member of the Croatian Democratic Union.

The EPP/CD group also includes members from parties that are not related to the EPP itself, including members of the Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein), the Progressive Citizens' Party (Liechtenstein), and the National and Democratic Union (Monaco).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

The "EPP and like-minded Group" in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the most active political group in that body. The Group meets regularly and promotes the EPP's positions. The members of the EPP Group also participate in the election-monitoring missions of the OSCE.

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).

The Group also includes members of parties not related to the EPP, accounting for the "like-minded" part of its name. Among them are members of the Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein), the Union for the Principality (Monaco), the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, the Conservative Party of Canada, and the Republican Party of the United States.

In the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The EPP is also present and active in the Parliamentary Assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and forms the "EPP and Associated Members" Group there. It is led by the German CDU politician Karl Lamers, who is also the current President of the Assembly. The Group also included members of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Republican Party of the United States, but now they are members of the Conservative Group

File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP in the USA (26).jpg
From left to right: López-Istúriz, McCain & Martens

Relations with the United States

The EPP has close relations with the International Republican Institute (IRI), an organisation funded by the U.S. government especially to promote democracy and democratisation. The EPP and the IRI cooperate within the framework of the European Partnership Initiative.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The EPP's late President, Wilfried Martens, endorsed Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, in the presidential election in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> McCain was also Chairman of the IRI. In 2011 Martens and McCain made joint press statements expressing their concern about the state of democracy in Ukraine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Global networks

The EPP is the European wing of two global centre-right organisations, the International Democracy Union (IDU) and the Centrist Democrat International (CDI).

Martens Centre

Template:Main

Following the revision in 2007 of the EU Regulation that governs European political parties, allowing the creation of affiliated European political foundations, the EPP established in the same year its official foundation/think tank, the Centre for European Studies (CES), which was later renamed as the Martens Centre. It includes as members all the major national think tanks and foundations affiliated to EPP member parties: the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (CDU), the Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSU), the Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies (PP), the Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy (ND), the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation (MOD), the Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and others. During the European Parliament election campaign in 2009, the Centre launched a web-based campaign module, tellbarroso.eu, to support Jose Manuel Barroso, the EPP's candidate for re-election as Commission President.

In 2014, to honour Wilfried Martens – the late President of the EPP who also founded the CES – changed its name to Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies or simply Martens Centre.

The current President of the Martens Centre is former Slovak Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda.

The Budapest-based Robert Schuman Institute and the Luxembourg-based Robert Schuman Foundation are also affiliated with the European People's Party.Template:Citation needed

EPP associations

Template:Unreferenced section Template:Update The EPP is linked to several specific associations that focus on specific groups and organise seminars, forums, publications, and other activities.

Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Europe (SME Europe)

Template:Main

SME Europe is the official business organisation of the EPP and serves as a network for pro-business 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, the DG Enterprise and the pro-business organisations of the EPP's member parties. Its top priorities are to reform the legal framework for SMEs all over Europe and to promote and support the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises. SME Europe was founded in May 2012 by three Members of the European Parliament, Paul Rübig, Nadezhda Neynsky, and Bendt Bendtsen.

European Democrat Students

Template:Main

European Democrat Students (EDS) is now the official students' organisation of the EPP, though it was founded in 1961, 15 years before the EPP itself. Led by Virgilio Falco, EDS has 40 member organisations, representing nearly 1,600,000 students and young people<ref>Students on the Right Way: European Democrat Students 1961–2011 Template:Webarchive. thinkingeurope.eu. Retrieved on 7 September 2013.</ref> in 31 countries, including Belarus and Georgia. Every year EDS hosts Summer and Winter "universities", and several seminars. It also regularly publishes a magazine, Bullseye, and organises topical campaigns.

European Seniors' Union

Template:Main

Founded in Madrid in 1995 and led by An Hermans of the CD&V, the European Seniors' Union (ESU) is the largest political senior citizens' organisation in Europe. The ESU is represented in 27 countries with 34 organisations and about 500.000 members.

European Union of Christian Democratic Workers

The European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW) is the labour organisation of the EPP, with 24 member organisations in 18 countries. As the officially recognised EPP association of workers, the EUCDW is led by Dennis Radtke, MEP. It aims at the political unification of a democratic Europe, the development of the EPP based on Christian social teaching, and the defence of workers' interests in European policy-making.

Women of the European People's Party

The Women of the European People's Party (EPP Women) is recognised by the EPP as the official association of women from all like-minded political parties of Europe. EPP Women has more than 40 member organisations from countries of the European Union and beyond. All of them are women's organisations of political parties that are members of the EPP. EPP Women is led by Doris Pack.

Youth of the European People's Party

Template:Main

The Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP), led by Lídia Pereira, is the EPP's official youth organisation. It has 64 member organisations, bringing together between one and two million young people in 40 countries.

Election results

European Parliament

Year Lead Candidate Seats % Seats +/- Status Ref
2019 Pre-Brexit Manfred Weber 23.9 (#1) Template:Composition bar compact Coalition <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Post-Brexit 24.7 (#1) Template:Composition bar compact Template:Decrease 6
2024 Ursula von der Leyen 25.9 (#1) Template:Composition bar compactTemplate:Efn Template:Increase 13 Coalition <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

Template:Reflist

Bibliography

Template:Commons category

Template:European People's Party Template:European political parties Template:Political organisations at European Union level Template:International Democracy Union

Template:Authority control