Political Groups
The Members of the European Parliament sit in political groups - they are not organised by nationality, but by political affiliation. 25 Members are needed to form a political group, and at least one-quarter of the Member States must be represented within the group. Members may not belong to more than one political group. There are currently 7 political groups in the European Parliament. Some Members do not belong to any political group and are known as non-attached Members (NA).
Note: The above diagram shows the number of MEPs in each European Parliament Political Group (June 2011)
Click below to view a short video about the European Parliament's Political Groups:
Group of the European People's Party (EPP)
The EPP brings together centre-right pro-European political forces from the Member States of the EU. The EPP Group is the largest Political Group in the European Parliament.
Irish Members: Gay Mitchell (Dublin); Jim Higgins (North West); Mairead McGuinness (East); Seán Kelly (South)
Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in Europe (S&D)
The S&D Group brings together the Socialist, Social Democratic and Labour Parties in the EU.
Irish Members: Emer Costello(Dublin); Nessa Childers (East); Phil Prendergast (South)
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)
ALDE brings together MEPs from liberal and democratic parties in the EU.
Irish Members: Liam Aylward (FF), Brian Crowley (FF), Pat the Cope Gallagher (FF), Marian Harkin (Ind)
Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
The Greens/European Free Alliance is 'a European parliamentary group made up of Greens, representatives of stateless nations and disadvantaged minorities'.
European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)
The European Conservatives and Reformists Group is an anti-federalist conservative Group which was founded after the June 2009 European Elections. Most of the members have come from the old European Democrats section of the EPP-ED and the old Union for Europe of the Nations Group.
Confederal Group of European United Left - Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
GUE/NGL is a confederal group, where each component party retains its own identity and policies, while pooling their efforts in pursuit of common political objectives.
Irish Members: Paul Murphy (Dublin)
Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD)
The EFD was founded after the June 2009 European Elections. The majority of its members are from the UK Independence Party and the Italian Lega Nord Party. The group rejects the bureaucratisation of Europe and opposes further European integration. Its members believe that EU Member States have the right to protect their borders and strengthen their own historical, traditional and cultural values.
For further information about the European Parliament's Political Groups, please see the dedicated page on the main European Parliament website: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/007f2537e0/Political-groups.html
