The Ecologists – Europe Ecology The Greens Les Écologistes – Europe Écologie Les Verts | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Abbreviation | LÉ |
| National Secretary | Marine Tondelier |
| President of the Federal Council | Henri Arevalo |
| Spokespersons | Alain Coulombel Chloé Sagaspe |
| Senate Leader | Guillaume Gontard |
| European Parliament Leader | Terry Reintke Philippe Lamberts |
| Founded | 13 November 2010; 15 years ago (2010-11-13) |
| Merger of | The Greens Europe Ecology |
| Headquarters | 3 Rue de Vincennes 93100Montreuil |
| Youth wing | Jeunes écologistes |
| Membership(2022) | 11,106[1] |
| Ideology | Green politics Alter-globalization European federalism[2] |
| Political position | Centre-left toleft-wing |
| National affiliation | Ecologist Pole (since 2020) New Popular Front (since 2024) NUPES (2022–2024) |
| European affiliation | European Green Party |
| European Parliament group | Greens/EFA |
| International affiliation | Global Greens |
| Colours | Green |
| National Assembly | 28 / 577 |
| Senate | 12 / 348 |
| European Parliament | 5 / 81 |
| Presidency of Regional Councils | 0 / 17 |
| Presidency of Departmental Councils | 0 / 101 |
| Website | |
| lesecologistes.fr | |
The Ecologists – Europe Ecology The Greens (French:Les Écologistes – Europe Écologie Les Verts), commonly known asThe Ecologists (French:Les Écologistes,LÉ) and formerly asEurope Ecology The Greens[3] (French:Europe Écologie Les Verts[øʁɔpekɔlɔʒilevɛʁ],EELV[əɛlve]) until 2023, is acentre-left[4] toleft-wing[5][6]green[7] political party in France. The party is a member of theEuropean Green Party.[8] It was formed on 13 November 2010 from the merger ofThe Greens andEurope Ecology.[9]
Following the2008 municipal elections,The Greens sought to increase their political influence. Echoing these calls,Daniel Cohn-Bendit proposed the creation of open electoral lists for the2009 European elections and the Greens' leadership allowed for the exploration of this possibility.Europe Ecology (EE), launched in the autumn of 2008, allowed The Greens to create a widerelectoral alliance withenvironmentalists and social activists who had not been party members in the past. The new structure included, alongside longtime Green politicians, new activists or environmentalists such asJean-Paul Besset (close toNicolas Hulot),José Bové (alter-globalisation activist from theConfédération paysanne),Yannick Jadot (former head ofGreenpeace France),Eva Joly (magistrate) andMichèle Rivasi (founder ofCRIIRAD).
EE was successful in the2009 European elections on 7 June 2009, reaching third place in France with 16.3% of the vote, only a few thousand votes behind theSocialist Party (PS), winning 14 of France's 72 seats in the European Parliament.[9] The experience led to further attempts to expand the French green movement, ahead of the2010 regional elections. Europe Ecology ran independent lists in the first round in every region, once again with the participation of new activists includingPhilippe Meirieu,Laurence Vichnievsky orAugustin Legrand. While they fell short of their 2009 success, EE nevertheless managed to win 12.5% of the vote nationally (third place).
The Greens and those new activists who joined the movement by way of EE – but who did not wish to join the party – began talks to allow for the creation of a new, enlargedpolitical movement. In October and November 2010, EE and later The Greens ratified new statutes and a new manifesto. Notably, these new statutes allowed for "cooperators" - individuals who did not join the party as full paying members but who are nonetheless allowed to run as candidates, vote in presidential primaries and partake in debates over the platform.[10]
The official launch of the new party, presented as a new political force, was held inLyon on 9 November 2010. The new party adopted the name Europe Ecology – The Greens (Europe Écologie Les Verts, EELV). However, the launch of the party was marked by tensions between longtime politicians from the former Green party and new activists from various non-political social movements. Jean-Paul Besset, for example, resigned all his leadership responsibilities in EELV within weeks and denounced a "poisonousCold War atmosphere".[11] A month later,Philippe Meirieu was named as the first president of the party's new federal council, created by the EELV statutes.
In the2011 cantonal elections, EELV won 8.2% of the vote nationally – becoming the third largest force on the left behind the PS andLeft Front (FG). Although the traditional runoff deals were sealed with both of these parties, some EELV candidates qualified for the runoff against other left-wing candidates did not withdraw, creating tensions with EELV's traditional left-wing allies.[12] Ultimately, EELV won 27 seats, 16 more seats than what the Greens had won in the same series of cantons in 2004.
A presidential primary to nominate a candidate for the2012 presidential election, open to members and cooperators, was held in June and July 2011. Four candidates sought the EELV nomination, most notablyEva Joly, anMEP andNicolas Hulot, a well known TV personality and environmentalist. Joly emerged victorious in the runoff on 12 July with 58.16%.[13]
In the2011 senatorial elections, an agreement with the PS allowed for the first left senatorial majority under theFifth Republic and the creation of the first entirely green parliamentary group.
On 15 November 2011, EELV and the PS signed a coalition agreement prior to the 2012 presidential election. The agreement included a commitment to reduce the share ofnuclear energy in France from 75% to 50% by 2025, the progressive shutdown of 24 nuclear reactors, the creation of acarbon tax and raising taxes on very high incomes. The agreement also included an ad hoc electoral deal for the2012 legislative elections in which the PS conceded over 60 constituencies to EELV, which would allow EELV to form a parliamentary group.[14] On 8 May 2012, following the left's victory withFrançois Hollande, EELV's federal council voted in favour of cabinet participation in the new left-wing government.[15]
In the2012 presidential election, EELV candidate Eva Joly won 2.3% of the vote and was eliminated in the first round.[9][16]
In the2012 legislative elections, EELV candidates won 5.46% nationally and elected a record 17 deputies (in addition to one member of the regionalistBreton Democratic Union, backed by EELV). However, every EELV deputy who was victorious had benefited from the endorsement of the PS, although many faced local PS dissidents.[citation needed]
In thegovernment of Jean-Marc Ayrault formed on 16 May 2012, EELV has two cabinet ministers: former party leaderCécile Duflot asminister of housing and territorial equality, and former MEPPascal Canfin as junior minister for international development.
In the2014 European elections on 25 May 2014, EELV received 8.95% of the vote, sixth place nationally, returning 6 MEPs.[17]
In the2019 European elections, EELV performed significantly above expectations, winning 13.5% of the vote and 13 out of 79 MEPs, placing third behindLREM andRN. This came despite EELV having not polled above 10% during the campaign.
Following the success of the2019 European elections, the polls for the municipal elections predict good results for EELV. Thus, cities likeRouen,Villeurbanne,Strasbourg,Besançon orLille are considered as being able to be won. On the evening of the first round, around twenty environmentalist lists won the elections in the first round (including outgoing mayors such as inSchiltigheim), and EELV came out on top in several large cities (Besançon,Lyon,Strasbourg orGrenoble), or second but favorite in others (Bordeaux,Poitiers). The scores are however disappointing in several big cities likeParis,Nîmes,Montpellier orMarseille. In the latter, however, the EELV's list (8% in the first round) merges with the union list of the left which came in first (23%), moreover led by an environmental candidate from but suspended from the party,Michèle Rubirola.
The second round confirms these good scores since the party wins the municipalities ofLyon,Strasbourg andBordeaux, the latter not having known alternation since 1945, but alsoBesançon,Tours,Poitiers andGrenoble. The candidates ofLille andMetz both suffer a narrow loss of 200 votes, respectively against and with theSocialist Party. TheRouen andVilleurbanne's lists join those of the Socialist Party, both elected, like that ofMarseille.[18]
In October 2022,The New Democrats merged into EELV.[19] In October 2023, EELV changed its name to The Ecologists.[3]
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As a green party, EELV prioritises and emphasises environmental issues. It calls for a 40% reduction inCO2 emissions, phasing outnuclear energy in favour ofrenewable energy, the creation of 600,000green jobs, eco-friendlyurban planning (the creation of green housing and the promotion ofpublic transportation), the development ofsustainable agriculture and a moratorium on the use ofgenetically modified organisms.[20][independent source needed] EELV, like the Greens before it, has generally opposed large-scale development projects, most recently theAéroport du Grand Ouest inNotre-Dame-des-Landes (Loire-Atlantique), although the PS and the incumbent government officially support the project.
On economic issues, EELV leans strongly to the left. Besides the creation of 'green jobs' in fields such as thermal isolation and renewable energies, it also supports acarbon tax and raising theprogressive income tax levels for high earners (60% for incomes between €100,000 and €500,000, 70% for incomes over €500,000). EELV is close to someanticapitalist and manyalter-globalisation activists.[10] In its alternative budget in 2011, EELV proposed to reduce thepublic debt by closing fiscal loopholes.
The party has traditionally supportedEuropean federalism, although many of its European policies are in conflict with the current direction and leadership of theEuropean Union. EELV, like the Greens before it, has been one of the strongest proponents ofdecentralisation, officially supporting "differentiated federalism" which would devolve significant powers to theregions of France. The regionalist federationRégions et Peuples Solidaires has long been closely allied to the green movement in France.[10]François Alfonsi of theParty of the Corsican Nation (PNC) was elected to theEuropean Parliament on an EE list in 2009.
The green movement supports political reform, includingvoting rights for foreigners in both local and national elections, abolishing thecumul des mandats, term limits and a 'Sixth Republic' with a more powers for theparliament anddirect democracy.[20][independent source needed] The greens have long promotedgender equality in politics, its leadership and electoral candidates tend to respect gender parity and the EELV group in theFrench National Assembly has two co-presidents, one male and one female.
| Election year | Candidate | 1st round | 2nd round | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Rank | Votes | % | Rank | |||
| 2012 | Eva Joly | 828,345 | 2.31 |  6th | — | Lost | ||
| 2017[a] | Benoît Hamon | 2,291,288 | 6.36 | 5th | — | Lost | ||
| 2022 | Yannick Jadot | 1,627,853 | 4.63 |  6th | — | Lost | ||
| Election year | # of overall votes | % of overall vote | # of overall seats won | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,418,264 | 5.46% (#5) | 18 / 577 | |
| 2017 | 973,527 | 4.30% (#9) | 1 / 577 | 17 |
| 2022 | 891,292 | 3.92% (#6) | 27 / 577 | 26 |
| 2024 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/− | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Daniel Cohn-Bendit | 2,803,759 | 16.28 (#3) | 14 / 72 | New | G/EFA |
| 2014 | Emmanuelle Cosse | 1,695,914 | 8.95 (#5) | 6 / 74 | 9 | |
| 2019[a] | Yannick Jadot | 3,055,023 | 13.48 (#3) | 13 / 79 | 7 | |
| 2024[b] | Marie Toussaint | 1,348,049 | 5.47 (#6) | 5 / 81 | 8 |
EELV claims 34departmental councillors, 65regional councillors and 50mayors. Cities with an EELV mayor includeMarseille,Lyon,Bordeaux,Tours,Grenoble,Strasbourg andPoitiers.
The party executive is formed by the Executive Bureau. The national secretary is the leader of the executive bureau and is the party's most senior leader. The federal council is composed of 150 members (75 men and 75 women) and serves as the party's parliament, meeting on a monthly basis.
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