European Conservatives and Reformists Party

European Conservatives and Reformists Party
Elections ^ A: The party also has centre-right and far-right factions.[11][12][13]

The European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party), formerly known as Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) (2009–2016) and Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE) (2016–2019), is a

The political movement was founded on 1 October 2009,

in January 2010.

ECR Party is governed by a board of directors who are elected by the Council, which represents all ECR member parties.[21] The executive board is composed of the President Giorgia Meloni (Prime Minister of Italy), Vicepresident Jorge Buxadé (Spanish Member of the European Parliament), and Vicepresident Radosław Fogiel (Polish member of the Parliament).^[22][23]

The party is affiliated with the

.

History

Foundation

The European Conservatives and Reformists Party was founded as the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists on 1 October 2009,

.

ECR Party was formally constituted under the chairmanship of Belgian MEP

Movement in 2015 and 2016.

The Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists officially changed its name to the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE) on 6 October 2016.[30]

In December 2018, ACRE was ordered to repay more than half a million euros of EU funds, following an investigation into their spending. This included €250,000 for a three-day conference in Miami and €90,000 for a trade meeting in Kampala. ACRE had previously been asked to return €121,000 given to the Prosperous Armenia party.^[31]

More recently, the ECR has seen a shift further towards the conservative right with the acceptance of the Brothers of Italy, Forum for Democracy, Vox and Sweden Democrats as members in 2019.^[32][33] In April 2023 Finns Party joined as most recent member of the ECR's European Parliament group.^[34]

Leadership

The ECR Party has had two Presidents:

No.	Image	Name	Tenure	Party	Member state
1		Jan Zahradil (born 1963)	2009–2020	Civic Democratic Party	Czech Republic
2		Giorgia Meloni (born 1977)	2020–	Brothers of Italy	Italy

Members

Member parties

Country	Party name	Abbr.	Legislature lower house seats	Legislature upper house Seats	Status
Bulgaria	IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement ВМРО – Българско Национално Движение VMRO – Balgarsko Natsionalno Dvizhenie	VMRO	0 / 240		Extra-parliamentary
Croatia	Croatian Sovereignists Hrvatski suverenisti	HS	2 / 151		Opposition
Czech Republic	Civic Democratic Party Občanská demokratická strana	ODS	34 / 200	23 / 81	Government
Germany	We Citizens Wir Bürger	WB	0 / 735	0 / 69	Extra-parliamentary
Italy	Brothers of Italy Fratelli d'Italia	FdI	118 / 400	66 / 200	Government
Latvia	National Alliance Nacionālā apvienība	NA	13 / 100		Opposition
Lithuania	Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance Lietuvos lenkų rinkimų akcija – Krikščioniškų šeimų sąjunga	LLRA–KŠS	3 / 141		Opposition
Luxembourg	Alternative Democratic Reform Party Alternativ Demokratesch Reformpartei Parti réformiste d'alternative démocratique Alternative Demokratische Reformpartei	ADR	4 / 60		Opposition
Poland	Law and Justice Prawo i Sprawiedliwość	PiS	189 / 460	34 / 100	Opposition
Romania	The Right Alternative Alternativa Dreaptă	AD	3 / 330	1 / 136	Opposition
Slovakia	Freedom and Solidarity Sloboda a Solidarita	SaS	19 / 150		Opposition
Spain	Vox Vox	Vox	33 / 350	3 / 265	Opposition
Sweden	Sweden Democrats Sverigedemokraterna	SD	73 / 349		Confidence and supply

Global partners

Country	Party name	Abbr.	Legislature lower house seats	Legislature upper house Seats	Status
Albania	Republican Party of Albania	PR	3 / 140		Opposition
Belarus	BPF Party	BPF	0 / 110	0 / 64	Banned
Israel	Likud – National Liberal Movement	Likud	32 / 120		Government
North Macedonia	VMRO – People's Party	VMRO–NP	1 / 120		Opposition
Serbia	Enough is Enough	DJB	0 / 250		Extra-parliamentary
United Kingdom ( Northern Ireland)	Ulster Unionist Party	UUP	0 / 18 (House of Commons (NI Seats))	2 / 784 (House of Lords)	Opposition
			9 / 90 (Northern Ireland Assembly)		Government
United States	Republican Party	GOP	221 / 435	49 / 100	Opposition (majority in the House of Representatives)

Former member parties

•  Armenia: Prosperous Armenia (until 2022)
•  Azerbaijan: Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (until 2022)
•  Belgium: Libertarian, Direct, Democratic (2010–14)
•  Bulgaria: Order, Law and Justice (c. 2009)
•  Bulgaria: Reload Bulgaria (until 2019)
•  Croatia: Croatian Conservative Party (until 2021, dissolved)
•  Faroe Islands: People's Party (until 2022)
•  
  Blue Reform
  (until 2022)
•  France: France Arise (2019–20)
•  Georgia: Conservative Party of Georgia (2014–22)
•  Hungary: Hungarian Democratic Forum (2009–11)
•  Iceland: Independence Party (2011–2021)
•  Italy: Conservatives and Social Reformers (2012–14)
•  Italy: Direction Italy (2017–2022; merged into fellow ECR member Brothers of Italy in 2019)
•  Kosovo: Democratic Party of Kosovo (until 2022)
•  Latvia: For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (2009–11; merged in 2011 into National Alliance, which became a member in 2014)
•  Moldova: Șor Party (2018–22)
•  Morocco: Istiqlal Party (2014–18)
•  Montenegro: Movement for Changes (until 2022)
•  Netherlands: Forum for Democracy (until 2020)
•  Netherlands: JA21 (until 2023)
•  Northern Cyprus: National Unity Party (until 2022)
•  Poland: Poland Comes First (2010–13; dissolved)
•  Romania: New Republic (2013–18)
•  
  Civic Conservative Party
  (2009–22)
•  
  New Majority
  (until 2021)
•  Turkey: Justice and Development Party (2013–18)
•  United Kingdom: Conservative Party (2009–21)

Former regional partners

•  Australia: Liberal Party (until 2022)
•  Canada: Conservative Party (until 2022)
•  Colombia: Democratic Center (until 2022)
•  Kenya: Jubilee Party (until 2022)
•  Maldives: Progressive Party of Maldives (until 2022)
•  New Zealand: National Party (until 2022)
•  Tanzania: Chadema (until 2022)
•  Tunisia: Afek Tounes (until 2019)

Elected representatives of member parties

European institutions

Organisation	Institution	Number of seats
European Union	European Commission	1 / 27
	European Council (Heads of Government)	2 / 27
	Council of the EU (Participation in Government)	3 / 27
	European Parliament	61 / 705
Council of Europe	Parliamentary Assembly	22 / 321

ECR affiliate groupings

The ACRE is formally affiliated to groupings in the

.

European Parliament

The ECR group is the sixth-largest group in the European Parliament. Founded in 2009, the ECR brings together 64 MEPs from 15 countries.

Committee of the Regions

Following the creation of the ECR Group in the European Parliament in 2009, and the creation of the ACRE in 2010, the ECR Group in the Committee of the Regions was formed on 10 April 2013 under the leadership of Gordon Keymer CBE and with the support of the ACRE. The Group was officially announced during the 11–12 April 100th Committee of the Regions plenary session.

The ECR Group was the first Group to be formed in the Committee of the Regions during the course of a mandate and was the first ECR Group to be formed outside of the European Parliament.

The President of the Group is Cllr. Gordon Keymer CBE (Leader of Tandridge District Council) and the Vice-Presidents are Dan Jiránek (Mayor of Kladno) and Daiva Matonienė (Deputy Mayor of Šiauliai City Council). Adam Banaszak (Member of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie regional assembly), Cllr. Kay Twitchen OBE (Member of Essex County Council) and Cllr. Judith Pearce (Deputy Leader of Wychavon District Council and Executive board member for Planning, Infrastructure and Housing).

Country	Party name	Members		Other affiliations
		Full	Affiliate	Europarty	EU Parliament	International
Czech Republic	Civic Democratic Party	3	1	ACRE	ECR	IDU
Denmark	Danish People's Party	0	2	MELD	ECR	None
Finland	Finns Party	1	1	ACRE	ECR	None
Lithuania	Independent	1	3	None	None	None
Netherlands	Christian Union	1	1	ECPM	ECR	None
Poland	Law and Justice	1	4	ACRE	ECR	None
Slovakia	Independent politician	1	0	None	None	None
United Kingdom	Conservative Party	7	8	ACRE	None	IDU
United Kingdom	Ulster Unionist Party	0	1	ACRE	None	IDU

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Main article:

European Conservatives Group

The

European Conservatives Group

in the European Parliament, founded in 1970 and existing for most of its history as the 'European Democrat Group' became officially affiliated to the ACRE on 29 September 2014. The EC group is led by Samad Seyidov MP, of the New Azerbaijan Party.

As of 23 October 2014, the European Conservatives have the following members:[37]

Country	Party name	Members	Other affiliations
			Europarty	EU Parliament	International
Armenia	Prosperous Armenia	2	ACRE	N/A	None
Armenia	Republican Party of Armenia [A]	1	None	N/A	None
Azerbaijan	New Azerbaijan Party	4	None	N/A	None
Azerbaijan	Independent	1	None	N/A	None
Czech Republic	Civic Democratic Party	2	ACRE	ECR	IDU
Denmark	Danish People's Party	1	None	ECR	None
Greece	Independent Greeks	1	None	ECR	None
Norway	Progress Party	2	None	N/A	None
Poland	Law and Justice	7	ECRP	ECR	None
Poland	United Poland	1	MELD	No MEPs	None
Turkey	Justice and Development Party [B]	13	ACRE	N/A	None
Turkey	Nationalist Movement Party[C]	1	None	N/A	None
Ukraine	Party of Regions [D]	4	None	N/A	None
Ukraine	Sovereign European Ukraine	1	None	N/A	None
Ukraine	Independent	1	None	N/A	None
United Kingdom	Conservative Party	17	ACRE	N/A	IDU
United Kingdom	Democratic Unionist Party	1	None	N/A	None
Socialist Group and one sits with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe .

Congress of the Council of Europe

The ECR group in the

brings together representatives in local government from across Europe. It has 31 members, 26 of whom represent parties in the ECRP.

Country	Party name	Members	Other affiliations
			Europarty	EU Parliament	International
Armenia	Prosperous Armenia	1	ACRE	N/A	None
Czech Republic	Civic Democratic Party	3	ACRE	ECR	IDU
Czech Republic	Independent	2	None	N/A	None
Denmark	Danish People's Party	1	None	ECR	None
Norway	Progress Party	2	None	N/A	None
Poland	Law and Justice	1	ACRE	ECR	None
Poland	Independent	1	None	N/A	None
Turkey	Nationalist Movement Party	5	None	N/A	None
Ukraine	People's Party	1	None	N/A	None
United Kingdom	Conservative Party	11	ACRE	ECR	IDU
United Kingdom	Ulster Unionist Party	1	ACRE	ECR	None

Youth organisation

European Young Conservatives

The European Young Conservatives (EYC) is ECR Party's youth wing. It brings together conservative and political parties from across Europe. As of 2020, the group has a membership of 30 political youth organisations from 30 countries and territories. Its patron was Margaret Thatcher until her death in 2013.

Country	Organisation	Mother party
Armenia	Prosperous Armenia Youth	Prosperous Armenia
Belarus	BPF Youth	BPF Party
Belgium	Jong N-VA	N-VA
Czech Republic	Young Conservatives	Civic Democratic Party
Denmark	Young Conservatives	Conservative People's Party
Faroe Islands	Huxa	People's Party
Finland	Finns Party Youth	Finns Party
Georgia	Young Conservatives	Conservative Party of Georgia
Italy	Youth for Freedom	Forza Italia
Latvia	For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK Youth Club	For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK
Liechtenstein	Junge FBP	Progressive Citizens' Party
Lithuania	Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania Youth Organisation	Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania
Luxembourg	ADRenalin	Alternative Democratic Reform Party
Netherlands	Youth Forum for Democracy	Forum for Democracy
Norway	Progress Party's Youth	Progress Party
Poland	Law and Justice Youth Forum	Law and Justice
Portugal	People's Youth	Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party
Romania	New Republic Youth	New Republic
Switzerland	Young SVP	Swiss People's Party
Turkey	AKP Youth	Justice and Development Party
United Kingdom	Young Conservatives (UK)	Conservative Party
United Kingdom	Young Unionists	Ulster Unionist Party

Principles

ECRP adopted the Reykjavík Declaration at its Council Meeting on 21 March 2014. The declaration defines the principles that underpin ECR.^[38]

The Reykjavík Declaration

• The European Conservatives and Reformists Party brings together parties committed to individual liberty, national sovereignty, parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, private property, low taxes, sound money, free trade, open competition, and the devolution of power.
• ECRP believes in a Europe of independent nations, working together for mutual gain while each retaining its identity and integrity.
• ECRP is committed to the equality of all European democracies, whatever their size, and regardless of which international associations they join.
• ECRP favors the exercise of power at the lowest practicable level—by the individual where possible, by local or national authorities in preference to supranational bodies.
• ECRP understands that open societies rest upon the dignity and autonomy of the individual, who should be as free as possible from state coercion. The liberty of the individual includes freedom of religion and worship, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of movement and association, freedom of contract and employment, and freedom from oppressive, arbitrary or punitive taxation.
• ECRP recognizes the equality of all citizens before the law, regardless of ethnicity, sex or social class. It rejects all forms of extremism, authoritarianism and racism.
• ECRP cherishes the important role of civil associations, families and other bodies that fill the space between the individual and the government.
• ECRP acknowledges the unique democratic legitimacy of the nation-state.
• ECRP is committed to the spread of free commerce and open competition, in Europe and globally.
• ECRP supports the principles of the Prague Declaration of March 2009 and the work of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament and allied groups on the other European assemblies.

See also

 Conservatism portal

• European Conservatives
• European People's Party

Notes

References

^ "Ursula von der Leyen makes final pledges to secure EU's top job". The Guardian. 15 July 2019. Von der Leyen says in her letters that she hopes the "snapshot" on her positions, some of which are retreads of previous proposals from the commission, will reassure her critics, although there is a risk of putting off MEPs within the more Eurosceptic and rightwing European Conservatives and Reformists group, in which Poland's Law and Justice is the largest party.

^ "Explainer: Von der Leyen's rocky path to confirmation as EU Commission chief". Reuters. 12 July 2019. The right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), will decide just ahead of the vote whether to support von der Leyen, but officials say the group is divided over the issue.

^ "Dutch and Greek far-right parties join ECR Group". European Interest. 6 June 2019.

S2CID 157162610

.

^ Falkner, Gerda; Plattner, Georg (2018). "Populist Radical Right Parties and EU Policies: How coherent are their claims?" (PDF). EUI Working Paper RSCAS (38): 5.

^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "European Union". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2019.

^ Zalan, Eszter (19 January 2022). "Metsola becomes youngest EU Parliament president". EUObserver. Retrieved 28 September 2022.

ISBN 978-1-137-45340-2

.

^ Reformists, European Conservatives and. "ECR Group - European Conservatives and Reformists Group". ecrgroup.eu. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2017.

ISBN 978-1-109-21663-9. Retrieved 9 March 2016.^{[permanent dead link}

]

Alliance for Workers Liberty

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^ "ECR Trans-National Party Set for EU Funding – But is it legal?". New Europe. 18 January 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.

^ "Organisation". Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists. 2011. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2011.

^ "PRESS RELEASE: ECR PARTY ELECTS NEW PRESIDENCY". ECR Party. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.

^ Caro, Paola Di (29 September 2020). "Giorgia Meloni al vertice dei conservatori Ue: è la prima italiana a guidare un partito europeo". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 29 September 2020.

^ "ACRE – EUROPE'S FASTEST GROWING POLITICAL MOVEMENT". ACRE – OUR FAMILY. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

^ Nordsieck, Wolfram. "News 2009". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 10 May 2010.

^ "Prosperous Armenia joins AECR". Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.

^ "AECR welcomes two new members from Slovakia and Georgia". Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists. 1 November 2014. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2014.

^ "Fitto: Conservatori e Riformisti entrano ufficialmente nell'Aecr, l'alleanza dei partiti e movimenti conservatori europei" [Lease: ECR officially entered in ecr, the alliance of European conservative parties and movements]. conservatorieriformisti.it (in Italian). 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015.

^ "AECR welcomes M10 and ALFA as new members". aecr.eu. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.

^ "AECR to change its name to ACRE | ACRE". AECR to change its name to ACRE | ACRE. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

^ "Daniel Hannan's MEP group told to repay €535,000 in EU funds". The Guardian. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.

^ Fortuna, Gerardo (25 February 2019). "Italy's far-right hopes to form new broad Conservative alliance in Europe".

^ "ECR Party". ECR Party.

^ "European Conservatives group admits Finns Party as new member". 11 April 2023.

^ "MEPs". European Parliament. Retrieved 9 January 2020.

^ "About". ECR Group. Retrieved 9 January 2020.

^ "European Conservatives Group". Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. 23 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 October 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

^ "About". ECR Party. Retrieved 24 June 2022.