European Democratic Party


The European Democratic Party is a centrist European political party in favour of European integration. François Bayrou is the President of the party.
Almost all MEPs of the European Democratic Party currently sit in the Renew Europe group, except for two MEPs of the PRO Romania party, who sit in the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
The youth wing of the EDP is the Young Democrats for Europe.
As of 2020, EDP member parties participate in the government of two countries : France with Democratic Movement and Slovenia with Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia, and Bavaria with Free Voters. A European Region is also led by EDP politician : Basque Country with Iñigo Urkullu of Basque Nationalist Party.

History

European Democratic Party was initiated on 16 April 2004 and formally founded on 9 December 2004 in Brussels.
François Bayrou of the French Democratic Movement and Francesco Rutelli, former leader of the Democracy is Freedom and Alliance for Italy parties, served as the two co-presidents until 2019. Now, François Bayrou serves as the only president.
The EDP was founded in reaction to the rising influence of Eurosceptic parties within European institutions. It drew pro-European centrist parties from the European People's Party group to form a new centrist multinational bloc. Its co-founder François Bayrou described it as a party for people being neither conservative nor socialist."
Since the beginning of the 6th European Parliament of 2004–2009, the EDP has formed a joint European parliamentary group with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party called the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group. This parliamentary group was dissolved in 2019.

Members

Members are national and regional political parties as well as members of the European Parliament, national and regional parliaments.
Country or RegionPartyEuropean MPsNational MPs
BelgiumGérard Deprez --
CroatiaPeople's Party - Reformists -
CyprusCitizens' Alliance -
CyprusCitizens' Platform --
Czech RepublicSenator 21 -
FranceDemocratic Movement
GermanyFree Voters
GreeceUnion of Centrists --
HungaryNew Start -
ItalyEuropean Democratic Party Italy --
IrelandMarian Harkin
PolandAlliance of Democrats --
PortugalDemocratic Republican Party --
RomaniaAssociation of Italians of Romania – RO.AS.IT. -
RomaniaPRO Romania
San MarinoFuture Republic Not an EU member
SloveniaDemocratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia -
Spain
Basque Nationalist Party
Spain
Canarian Coalition -
Spain
Commitment to Galicia --
Young Democrats for Europe --

Former member parties

European institutions

OrganisationInstitutionNumber of seats
European UnionEuropean Commission
European UnionEuropean Council
European UnionCouncil of the EU
European UnionEuropean Parliament
Parliamentary Assembly