Although the Members of the European Parliament are elected nationally, Members do not organise themselves according to national allegiances; rather they organise themselves into groups according to political allegiances.
The formation of the groups starts at Parliament’s first session after an election. According to the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure a minimum of 20 Members from at least 1/5 of the member countries (currently 6 countries) are required to set up an independent group. There are currently eight political groups in the European Parliament and a number of independents. More than 100 national political parties are represented in the seven political groups.
Together with the President of the European Parliament, the chairmen of the groups make up the ‘Conference of Presidents’, which, among other things, has overall responsibility for setting the European Parliament’s agenda.
Political groups|
PPE-DE | Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats |
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PSE | Socialist Group in the European Parliament |
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ALDE | Group of the |
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V/ALE | Group of the Greens/European Free
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GUE/NGL |
Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left |
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IND/DEM |
Independence/Democracy Group |
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UEN |
Union for Europe of the Nations Group |
| ITS | Group of Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty |
There is an overview of how the Members are divided among the political groups on the European Parliament website http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/expert.do?language=EN.eu.int
Links to the groups’ websites can be found at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/groups/default.htm
Sidst opdateret: 22-07-2008 - ANSJ