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Website: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/groups/default.htm Background Members of the European Parliament do not form alliances on the basis of nationality, but rather form alliances with MEPs from other countries on the basis of shared ideology or political persuasion. These political groups sometimes have Europe-wide organisations external to the Parliament, such as the Green Movement or Liberal International. The formation of political groups in the Parliament is governed by Rule 29 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament There are currently eight political groups in the Parliament.  European People's Party and European Democrats (EPP-ED) This is the largest of the political groups in the Parliament, with 278 out of the 785 MEPs (35.5%) in the Parliament. It gathers mainly "conservative" or right-of-centre parties from all of the Member States of the EU. The strength of the EPP-ED was virtually identical after the 2004 elections compared with the previous parliament, hanging on to the significant gains made in 1999. The EPP-ED website can be reached by clicking here.  Party of European Socialists (PSE) The PES is the second-largest of the political groups in the European Parliament and, with the EPP-ED, makes up one of the two main political powers in the Parliament. Unlike the EPP-ED, since enlargement, it can no longer claim to have MEPs from every country in the EU (Cyprus and Latvia being the exceptions), but nonetheless has 216 of the 785 MEPs (27.5% - a drop of nearly 1.5% compared with the previous parliament). The members of the PES generally come from left-leaning political parties in their respective member states. The PES website can be reached by clicking here.  Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe This group is the successor to the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Group (ELDR), which existed up until 2004. The new group is significantly stronger than the ELDR, with 104 MEPs compared with 52 in the previous parliament, representing an increase from 8.3% to 13.2% in terms of overall seats in the Parliament. ALDE MEPs come from liberal "centrist" political parties in 22 of the 27 EU Member States. The group has significant influence in the Parliament due not only to its recent increase in number and share of the seats, but also as it plays a pivotal role in alliances with one or other of the two big political groups. The ALDE website can be found by clicking here.  Union for a Europe of Nations The UEN Group was the smallest political group in the previous parliament, but is now the fourth largest, with 44 MEPs. It grew considerably due to EU enlargement, with its new Polish contingent bigger than the entire group had been prior to 2004. The Group is made up mainly of right-leaning political parties that, for one reason or another, are unable or unwilling to join the EPP-ED. There are six EU member states represented in the UEN Group. The UEN website can be reached by clicking here.  Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance The Greens/EFA group is the fifth biggest political group in the European Parliament, with a total of 42 MEPs. This represents a reduction in the overall number of MEPs (45 seats before enlargement) and a decline from 7.2% of seats to 5.7% compared with the previous parliament. Unlike some of the other political groups, their members come from divergent backgrounds, some from the parties which grew from environmental movements, "Green" parties, and some from regionalist/nationalist parties, such as the Welsh Plaid Cymru. The Greens/EFA website can be reached by clicking here.  Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left The GUE/NGL Group is the sixth biggest political group in the European Parliament, with a total of 41 MEPs. Members of the GUE/NGL generally come from left-wing parties. There are MEPs from fourteen Member States of the EU in the GUE/NGL Group. The GUE/NGL site can be reached by clicking here.  Independence/Democracy Group This is the "Eurosceptic" group established after the 2004 European Parliament elections. It has a total of 24 MEPs, a significant increase on the 18 MEPs in the previous Eurosceptic group (the EDD), although without an increase in the number of countries represented. The Independence/Democracy Group can be reached here.  Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty Group This group consists of right-wing, generally nationalist MEPs. There are 23 MEPs in the group. Their website is here. In addition to the above, there is a total of 13 MEPs who are not aligned to any political group. |