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,
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
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
The
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
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.
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
Notes
References
- ^ "William Hague gives a reply (if not an answer) to the question: "What does 'We will not let matters rest there' actually mean in practice?"". ConservativeHome. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Contacts". Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe. 2011. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-317-49876-6.
- ^ Healey, Euan (13 June 2019). "European right will widen gap with rivals after Brexit, projection shows". Euronews. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- S2CID 231636889.
- S2CID 145663358.
- .
when taken together they form not so much a coherent whole as a mix of liberal conservatives (the Conservatives, ODS, LDD and MDF) and conservative nationalists (PiS and TB-LNNK).
- ISBN 978-1-137-42754-0.. BBC News. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- "EU parliament sees birth of new right-wing group". EUobserver. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- "Tory minders gag right-wing allies in the ECR". The Times. London. 8 November 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- "New-look European Parliament"
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.
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.
External links
- Media related to European Conservatives and Reformists Party at Wikimedia Commons
- European Conservatives and Reformists Party Official website