European People's Party Europäische Volkspartei Parti Populaire européen Partito Popolare Europeo Partido Popular Europeo Europese Volkspartij Il-Partit Popolari Ewropew Páirtí Pobail na hEorpa Europejska Partia Ludowa Európai Néppárt Partido Popular Europeu Avrupa Halk Partisi
President	Wilfried Martens
Founded	1976 (1976)
Headquarters	Rue du Commerce / Handelsstraat 10, Brussels, B-1000
Ideology	Christian democracy,[1] conservatism,[2] liberal conservatism[3]
International affiliation	Centrist Democrat International, International Democrat Union
European Parliament Group	Group of the European People's Party
Official colours	Blue, orange
Website
http://www.epp.eu/
Politics of the European Union Political parties Elections

The European People's Party (EPP) is a centre-right^[4] European political party. Founded in 1976, the EPP has 72 member-parties from 39 countries, 13 EU and 6 non-EU heads of government, 10 European Commissioners (including the President), and the largest group in the European Parliament with 265 members.

Contents 1 History 2 EPP manifesto 3 Structure 3.1 Organisation 3.2 Position 4 In the European institutions 4.1 European Council 4.2 European Commission 4.3 European Parliament 5 Beyond the EU 6 EPP's Official Think Tank 7 Member parties 8 Associate members 9 Observer members 10 References 11 External links

[edit] History

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EPP traces its ancestry to the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales in 1946^[5] or 1948,^[6] via the European Union of Christian Democrats founded in 1965,^[5] although it has been argued that it ultimately descends from the Secretariat International des partis démocratiques d'inspiration chrétienne founded in 1925.^[6]

[edit] EPP manifesto

The EPP 2009 manifesto calls for:

• Creation of new jobs. Continuing reforms and investment in education, lifelong learning and employment in order to create opportunities for everyone.^[7]
• Protectionism must be averted. Fiscal and monetary policies must be coordinated.^[7]
• Increasing transparency and surveillance on financial markets.^[7]
• Making Europe the market leader in green technology.^[7]
• Increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 20% of the energy mix by 2020.^[7]
• Family-friendly flexibility for working parents. Better childcare and housing must be provided, family-friendly fiscal policies introduced, and parental leave should be encouraged.^[7]
• Europe should find a strategy to attract skilled workers from the rest of the world to make Europe’s economy more competitive, more dynamic and more knowledge driven.^[7]

[edit] Structure

[edit] Organisation

Its current President is former Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Martens was re-elected President at the March 2006 EPP Congress in Rome for a 3-year term. In the same Congress, French Minister Michel Barnier (UMP), Finnish Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (KOK), former Slovenian Prime Minister Lojze Peterle (NSi), former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), German State Secretary Peter Hintze (CDU), Irish opposition leader Enda Kenny (FG) and Chairman of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (PO) were elected as EPP Vice-Presidents. Also, the Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament - currently Joseph Daul - is an ex officio EPP Vice-President.

[edit] Position

According to its website, the EPP is "the family of the political centre-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilization of the European continent and has pioneered the European project from its inception."^[4]

By invitation of the EPP President, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament and the EPP heads of government (or leaders of the opposition) customarily meet a few hours prior to the Summit of the European Council at the 'Académie Royale' in Brussels for the EPP Summit to form common positions.

[edit] In the European institutions

The EPP currently holds the Presidencies of all three main EU institutions: the European Commission led by President José Manuel Barroso (PSD), the European Parliament led by President Jerzy Buzek (PO), and the European Council led by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (MSP).

[edit] European Council

EPP has 13 out of the 27 heads of State or Government in the European Council: Jan Peter Balkenende (Netherlands, CDA), Silvio Berlusconi (Italy, PdL), Emil Boc (Romania, PD-L), Boyko Borisov (Bulgaria, GERB), Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia, JL), Lawrence Gonzi (Malta, PN), Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxembourg, CSV), Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania, TS-LKD), Angela Merkel (Germany, CDU), Fredrik Reinfeldt (Sweden, MSP), Nicolas Sarkozy (France, UMP), Donald Tusk (Poland, PO) and Herman Van Rompuy (Belgium, CD&V).

It also has 5 heads of State or Government who do not normally take part in the European Council since that responsibility belongs to the other leaders of their countries: Aníbal Cavaco Silva (Portugal, PSD), François Fillon (France, UMP), Horst Köhler (Germany, CDU), Edward Fenech Adami (Malta, PN) and Traian Băsescu (Romania, PD-L).

[edit] European Commission

EPP has 10 out of 27 members of the European Commission: President José Manuel Barroso (Portugal, PSD), Vice President Jacques Barrot (France, UMP), Vice President Antonio Tajani, (Italy, PdL), Joe Borg, (Malta, PN), Stavros Dimas (Greece, ND), Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Austria, ÖVP), Ján Figeľ (Slovakia, KDH), Danuta Hübner (Poland, PO), Andris Piebalgs (Latvia, TP) and Viviane Reding (Luxembourg, CSV).

[edit] European Parliament

In the European Parliament the EPP has the largest parliamentary group - the EPP Group - with 265 MEPs. In every European election, candidates elected on lists of member-parties of the EPP are obliged to join the EPP Group in the European Parliament. In the current parliamentary term, the EPP is the only Europarty that has a fully corresponding parliamentary group. According to the statutes of the EPP, the Chairman of the EPP Group is an ex officio Vice President of the EPP.

[edit] Beyond the EU

EPP, through its associate parties, also has 6 heads of State or Government from non-EU countries: Jadranka Kosor (Croatia, HDZ), Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkey, AKP), Sali Berisha (Albania, DP), Nikola Gruevski (Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE), Viktor Yushchenko (Ukraine, NSNU) & Yulia Tymoshenko (Ukraine, Fatherland) and Mikheil Saakashvili (Georgia, UNM).

EPP also has parliamentary groups in the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe, Chaired by Luc Van den Brande (Belgium, CD&V), and the OSCE, Chaired by Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden, MSP).

In recent years, the EPP has been developing beyond Europe bilateral relations with major conservative and like-minded parties. Due its firm transatlantic orientation, North America has been a particular focus of the Party's international activities.

The EPP is recognized as a regional organization of two centre-right global multilateral organizations: the Christian Democrat International (CDI) and the International Democrat Union (IDU). EPP is also a member of the European Movement international.

[edit] EPP's Official Think Tank

Following the 2008 revision of the EU Regulation that governs European political parties allowing the creation of European foundations affiliated to Europarties, the EPP established in the same year its official foundation/think tank, the Centre for European Studies (CES). The CES includes as members all the major national think tanks and foundations affiliated to EPP member parties: Konrad Adenauer Foundation (CDU), Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSU), Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies FAES (PP), Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy (ND), Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation (MOD), and others. During the 2009 European elections campaign, the CES launched a successful web-based campaign module 'tellbarroso.eu' to support Jose Manuel Barroso, the EPP candidate, for re-election as Commission President.

[edit] Member parties

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v • d • e

 Austria

• Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) (Austrian Peoples Party)

 Belgium

•  Flanders
  • Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic & Flemish)
•  Wallonia
  • Centre Démocrate Humaniste (CDH) (Humanist Democratic Centre)

 Bulgaria

• Демократи за силна България (Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria)
• Съюз на Демократичните Сили (Union of the Democratic Forces)
• Граждани за европейско развитие на България (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria)
• Демократическа партия (DP) (Democratic Party)
• Български Земеделски Народен Съюз - Народен Съюз (Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union)

 Cyprus

• Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός (Democratic Rally)

 Czech Republic

• Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová (KDU-CSL) (Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party)

 Denmark

• Det Konservative Folkeparti (KF) (Conservative People's Party)
• Kristendemokraterne (Christian Democrats)

 Estonia

• Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica)

 Finland

• Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK) (National Coalition Party)

 France

• Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) (Union for a Popular Movement)

 Germany

• Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU) (Christian Democratic Union),
• Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (CSU) (Christian Social Union of Bavaria)

 Greece

• Νέα Δημοκρατία (ND) (New Democracy)

 Hungary

• Fidesz – Magyar Polgári Szövetség (Hungarian Civic Union)
• Magyar Demokrata Fórum (MDF) (Hungarian Democratic Forum) – currently suspended and likely to be expelled, as the only MDF MEP joined the European Conservatives and Reformists group instead of the EPP group^[8]
• Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt (KDNP) (Christian Democratic People's Party)

 Ireland

• Fine Gael (FG)

 Italy

• Il Popolo della Libertà (PdL) (The People of Freedom)
• Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e Democratici di Centro (UDC) (Union of Christian and Centre Democrats)
• Popolari UDEUR (UDEUR Populars)

 Latvia

• Tautas Partija (TP) (People's Party),
• Jaunais Laiks (JL) (New Era)
• Pilsoniskā Savienība (PS) (Citizen's Party)

 Lithuania

• Tėvynės sąjunga - Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai (TS-LKD) (Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats)

 Luxembourg

• Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV) (Christian-Social People's Party)

 Malta

• Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) (Nationalist Party)

 Netherlands

• Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) (Christian Democratic Appeal)

 Poland

• Platforma Obywatelska (PO) (Civic Platform)
• Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (PSL) (Polish Peasant Party)

 Portugal

• Partido Social Democrata (PSD) (Social Democratic Party)
• Centro Democrático e Social - Partido Popular (CDS-PP) (Social Democratic Centre - People's Party)

 Romania

• Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin şi Democrat (PNŢCD) (Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party)
• Partidul Democrat-Liberal (PD-L) (Democratic Liberal Party)
• Uniunea Democrată a Maghiarilor din România (UDMR) (Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania)

 Slovakia

• Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia - Demokratická strana (SDKÚ-DS) (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party),
• Magyar Koalíció Pártja/Strana maďarskej koalície (SMK) (Party of Hungarian Coalition),
• Krestanskodemokraticke hnutie (KDH) (Christian Democratic Movement of Slovakia)

 Slovenia

• Slovenska demokratska stranka (SDS) (Slovenian Democratic Party),
• Nova Slovenija Krščanska ljudska stranka (NSi) (New Slovenia)
• Slovenska ljudska stranka (SLS) (Slovenian People's Party)

 Spain

• Partido Popular (PP) (People's Party)
• Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (Democratic Union of Catalonia)

 Sweden

• Moderata samlingspartiet (M or MSP) (Moderate Party),
• Kristdemokraterna (KD) (Christian Democrats)

[edit] Associate members

 Croatia

• Hrvatska demokratska zajednica (HDZ) (Croatian Democratic Union)
• Hrvatska seljačka stranka (HSS) (Croatian Peasant Party)

 Norway

• Høyre (H) (Conservatives)

 Serbia

• Demokratska stranka Srbije (DSS) (Democratic Party of Serbia)
• Г17+ (G17 Plus)

 Switzerland

• Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei (CVP) (Christian Democratic People's Party)

[edit] Observer members

 Albania

• Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë (Democratic Party of Albania)

 Belarus

• Biełaruski Narodny Front (BNF) (Belarusian Popular Front)
• Abjadnanaja Hramadzianskaja Partyja Biełarusi (AHP) (United Civil Party of Belarus)

 Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Stranka demokratske akcije (SDA) (Party of Democratic Action)
• Hrvatska demokratska zajednica Bosne i Hercegovine (HDZBiH) (The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Partija demokratskog progresa RS (PDP) (Party of Democratic Progress of Republika Srpska)

 Finland

• Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (Christian Democrats)

 Georgia

• Ertiani Natsionaluri Modzraoba (ENM) (United National Movement)

 Macedonia

• VMRO-DPMNE

 Italy

• Südtiroler Volkspartei (South Tyrolese People's Party)

 Moldova

• Partidul Popular Creştin Democrat (Christian-Democratic People's Party)

 Norway

• Kristelig Folkeparti(KrF) (Christian People's Party)

 San Marino

• Partito Democratico Cristiano Sammarinese (PDCS) (San Marinese Christian Democratic Party)

 Turkey

• Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) (Justice and Development Party)

 Ukraine

• Народний Союз «Наша Україна» (NSNU) (People's Union "Our Ukraine")
• Народний Рух України (Rukh) (Narodnyi Rukh Ukrajiny, People's Movement of Ukraine)
• Всеукраїнське об'єднання "Батьківщина" (Vseukrayins'ke Obyednannya Bat’kivshchyna - All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland")

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.parties-and-elections.de/eu.html
2. ^ http://www.parties-and-elections.de/eu.html
3. ^ http://www.parties-and-elections.de/eu.html
4. ^ ^{a b} [1]
5. ^ ^{a b} "Trans-European Party Groupings: Emergence of New and Alignment of Old Parties in the Light of Direct Elections to the European Parliament" by Paul-H Claeys and Nicole Loeb-Mayer, from "Government and Opposition", Volume 14, issue 4, page 455-478
6. ^ ^{a b} "On the road towards transnational party cooperation in Europe" by Steven van Hecke in "European View", Volume 3, 2006, from the Centre for European Studies
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} EPP Manifesto – European Elections 2009
8. ^ http://parties-and-elections.de/news.html

[edit] External links

• European People's Party EPP portal site
• CES the EPP think-tank
• EPP Group in the European Parliament
• EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions
• EPP Group in the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly
• EPP Youth (YEPP)
• EPP Students (EDS)
• EPP Women
• EPP Seniors (ESU)
• EPP SME Union
• EPP Workers (EUCDW)

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