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European Green Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | European Greens EGP |
| President | |
| Secretary-General | Benedetta De Marte (IT) |
| Founded | 21 February 2004; 21 years ago (2004-02-21) |
| Preceded by | European Federation of Green Parties |
| Headquarters | Rue du Taciturne 34, 1000Brussels, Belgium |
| Think tank | Green European Foundation |
| Youth wing | Young European Greens |
| Membership(26 January 2025) | 5 |
| Ideology | Green politics[1] Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre-left toleft-wing |
| European Parliament group | Greens–European Free Alliance |
| International affiliation | Global Greens |
| Colours | Green |
| European Parliament | 50 / 720 |
| European Commission | 0 / 27 |
| European Council | 0 / 27 |
| European Lower Houses | 252 / 6,229 |
| European Upper Houses | 50 / 1,458 |
| Website | |
| europeangreens.eu | |
TheEuropean Green Party (EGP), also referred to asEuropean Greens, is a transnational,European political party representing national parties from across Europe who share Green values.
The European Greens works closely with theGreens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)parliamentary group in theEuropean Parliament which is formed by elected Green party members along with theEuropean Free Alliance,European Pirate Party andVolt Europa. The European Greens' partners include its youth wing theFederation of Young European Greens (FYEG), theGreen European Foundation (GEF) and theGlobal Greens family.
Green parties participate in the governments of two countries in Europe:Latvia (The Progressives) andSpain (Catalunya en Comú/Sumar). They also externally support the government inPoland (Zieloni/Civic Coalition).
The European Greens have committed themselves to the basic tenets ofGreen politics as seen across Western Europe, namelyenvironmental responsibility, climate action,individual freedom,inclusive democracy,diversity,social justice,gender equality, globalsustainable development andnon-violence.[2][3]
The European Greens was the first party to form out of various national movements to become a European entity, committed to the integration of Europe.[4][5] The party aims to amplify the views of member parties by having common policy positions, mutual election manifestos, and cohesive European election campaigns. The European Greens also has networks which brings Green politicians together, such as the Local Councillors Network.[6][7]
According to its charter,[8] the European Greens is working towards a just and sustainable transition towards societies "respectful of human rights and built upon the values of environmental responsibility, freedom, justice, diversity and non-violence". The charter's guiding principles provide a framework for the political actions taken by member parties.
The priorities outlined in the charter include protecting human health and wellbeing, maintaining biological diversity, combatting global warming, transitioning to a just and sustainable economy, strengthening inclusive democracies, safeguarding diversity, and ensuring social justice.
Green politics in Europe emerged from several grassroots political movements, including the peace movements, the ecology movement and movements for women's rights.[9]
Theanti-nuclear movement in Germany first had political expression asVereinigung Die Grünen, which formed in March 1979, and established itself as a party for the European Parliament in January 1980.[10][11][12] Similarly, activists in Britain'sCampaign for Nuclear Disarmament had formed theEcology Party in 1975.[13][14][15] However, it also brought in ecological movements, which had become active across Western European nations in the 1970s.[2][16] Environmental groups became especially political after theChernobyl disaster in 1986, which strengthened groups such as theItalian Green Party.[17] In the Netherlands, feminists dominatedGroenLinks party.[9] Elements of all these national parties would go on to form the European Green Party.
Representatives from these and other parties sat in the European Parliament after the1984 European Parliament election.[18] The following 11 members of this grouping, which was briefly known as theRainbow Group, came from parties which went on to be part of the European Greens:[18]
The European Green Party itself was officially founded at the 4th Congress of the European Federation of Green Parties on 20–22 February 2004 in Rome.[19] At the convention, 32 Green parties from across Europe joined this new pan-European party.[6][20] As such, the European Greens became a trans-national party, and the very first European political party.[21][20]
In the2004 European Parliament election, member parties won 35 Seats and the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament secured 43 in total.[22]
In the2009 European Parliament election, even though the European Parliament was reduced in size, the European Greens' member parties won 46 seats, the best result of the Green Parties in 30 years. The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament secured 55 seats in total.[23]
In the2014 European Parliament election, the Green candidates wereJosé Bové andSka Keller. These elections marked the first time there were primaries includingSpitzenkandidaten at the European elections, which allows Europeans to not only vote for who should represent them in the European Parliament, but also help to decide who should lead the European Commission. In May they presented a common programme including theGreen New Deal at the launch of the European Greens' campaign which called for "a new direction of economic policy aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and improving our quality of life". The slogan of the campaign was 'Change Europe, vote Green'.[24] The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament obtained 50 seats in total.[25]
The candidates for the2019 European Parliament election wereSka Keller andBas Eickhout, who campaigned for climate protection, a social Europe, more democracy and stronger rule of law.[26] That year, the Greens made the strongest ever showing across Europe,[26] in part due to rising public awareness about climate change[27] and the impact of youth movements for climate. The strongest surge was in Germany asAlliance 90/The Greens replaced the centre-leftSocial Democratic Party of Germany as the second-strongest party.[28] The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament obtained 74 seats in total.[29] The Greens' results signified a new balance of power[30] as theEuropean People's Party (EPP) and theProgressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) lost their majority.
By 2023,The Economist analysed that "the policies espoused by environmentalists sit squarely at the centre of today's political agenda".[31]
Terry Reintke andBas Eickhout were elected by the European Greens to be lead candidates for the 2024 European Parliament election. The campaign ran under the slogan "Choose Courage".[32] They were elected by more than 300 delegates at an Extended Congress in Lyon, France in February 2024. The campaign is focused on a Green and Social Deal, and the fight against the rise of thefar right in Europe.
At the 2024Maastricht Debate, organised byPolitico and theUniversity of Maastricht, European Green top candidateBas Eickhout asked directly toUrsula von der Leyen, top candidate of theEuropean People's Party, what her position was towards the far right in Europe,European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) andIdentity and Democracy. Von der Leyen told the audience that a collaboration with the ECR "depends very much on how the composition of the Parliament is, and who is in what group."[33]
Numerous analyses in European quality media consider this as a win for the Greens[34] and the turning point of the 2024 election campaign.[35] The European Greens criticised heavily that von der Leyen, as incumbent president of the European Commission and lead candidate for the EPP, opened the door to collaboration with the far right.
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The European Green Party is aEuropean political party, constituted out of political parties from European countries. Parties can also become associate members. Members of theGreens/EFA group in the European Parliament not belonging to a member party can be admitted as a special member with speaking rights but no vote.
The governing bodies of the EGP are the Council and the Committee.[36]
The EGP hosts a collection of networks that have specific special interest focus, including:[39]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2024) |
| Country | Name | MEPs[a] | National MPs | Government status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Albania | Green Party of Albania | Not in EU | 0 / 140 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Austria | The Greens – The Green Alternative | 2 / 20 | 15 / 183 | Opposition | |
 Belgium |  Flemish | Groen | 1 / 12 [b] | 6 / 87 [c] | Opposition |
 French German | Ecolo | 1 / 8 [d] | 3 / 61 [e] | Opposition | |
 Bulgaria | Green Movement | 0 / 17 | 0 / 240 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Croatia | We Can! | 1 / 12 | 10 / 151 | Opposition | |
 Cyprus | Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation | 0 / 6 | 2 / 56 | Opposition | |
 Czech Republic | Green Party | 0 / 21 | 2 / 200 | Opposition | |
 Denmark | Green Left | 3 / 15 | 15 / 179 | Opposition | |
 Estonia | Estonian Greens | 0 / 7 | 0 / 101 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Finland | Green League | 3 / 14 | 13 / 200 | Opposition | |
 France | Europe Ecology – The Greens | 5 / 81 | 28 / 577 | Opposition | |
 Georgia | Greens Party of Georgia | Not in EU | 0 / 150 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Germany | Alliance 90/The Greens | 12 / 96 | 85 / 630 | Opposition | |
 Greece | Ecologist Greens | 0 / 21 | 0 / 300 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Ireland | Green Party[f] | 0 / 14 | 1 / 174 | Opposition | |
 Italy | Green Europe | 2 / 76 | 5 / 400 | Opposition | |
 South Tyrol | Greens | 0 / 76 | 0 / 400 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Latvia | The Progressives | 1 / 9 | 10 / 100 | Government | |
 Lithuania | Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" | 1 / 11 | 14 / 141 | Opposition | |
 Luxembourg | The Greens | 1 / 6 | 4 / 60 | Opposition | |
 Malta | AD+PD | 0 / 6 | 0 / 79 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Moldova | Ecologist Green Party | Not in EU | 0 / 101 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Montenegro | United Reform Action | Not in EU | 4 / 81 | Opposition | |
 Netherlands | GroenLinks | 3 / 26 | 8 / 150 | Opposition | |
 North Macedonia | Democratic Renewal of Macedonia | Not in EU | 0 / 120 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Norway | Green Party | Not in EU | 8 / 169 | Opposition | |
 Poland | The Greens | 0 / 51 | 3 / 460 | Government | |
 Portugal | LIVRE | 0 / 21 | 6 / 230 | Opposition | |
| Ecologist Party "The Greens" | 0 / 21 | 0 / 230 | Extra-parliamentary | ||
 Romania | Green Party | 0 / 32 | 0 / 330 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Serbia | Green–Left Front | Not in EU | 10 / 250 | Opposition | |
 Spain | Greens Equo | 0 / 54 | 0 / 350 | Government | |
 Catalonia | Green Left | 0 / 54 | 2 / 48 [g] | Government | |
 Sweden | Green Party | 3 / 20 | 18 / 349 | Opposition | |
 Switzerland | Green Party of Switzerland | Not in EU | 28 / 200 | Opposition | |
 Ukraine | Party of Greens of Ukraine | Not in EU | 0 / 450 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 United Kingdom |  England Wales | Green Party of England and Wales | Not in EU | 4 / 573 [h] | Opposition |
 Scotland | Scottish Greens | 0 / 59 [i] | Extra-parliamentary | ||
 Northern Ireland | Green Party in Northern Ireland[j] | 0 / 18 [k] | Extra-parliamentary | ||
| Sources[40] | |||||
| Country | Name | MEPs | National MPs | Government status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan Green Party | Not in EU | 0 / 125 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Croatia | Green Alternative – Sustainable Development of Croatia | 0 / 11 | 0 / 151 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Finland |  Åland | Sustainable Initiative | 0 / 13 | 0 / 1 [l] | Extra-parliamentary |
 Hungary | Dialogue – The Greens' Party | 0 / 21 | 6 / 199 | Opposition | |
| Portugal | People-Animals-Nature | 0 / 21 | 1 / 230 | Opposition | |
 Russia | Union of Greens of Russia | Not in EU | 0 / 450 | Extra-parliamentary | |
 Slovenia | Vesna – Green Party | 1 / 9 | 0 / 90 | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Spain | Catalonia | Catalunya en Comú | 1 / 59 [m] | 5 / 48 [g] | Government |
 Turkey | Green Left Party | Not in EU | 0 / 600 | Opposition | |
| Sources[40] | |||||
| Country | Year left | Name | MEPs (current) | National MPs (current) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belarus | 2023 | Belarusian Green Party | n/a – defunct | |
| Denmark | 2012 | De Grønne | n/a – defunct | |
| Hungary | 2015 | Green Left | n/a – defunct | |
| 2024 | LMP – Hungary's Green Party | 0 / 21 | 5 / 199 | |
| Latvia | 2019 | Latvian Green Party | – | 4 / 100 |
| Netherlands | 2017 | The Greens | – | – |
| Slovenia | 2024 | Youth Party – European Greens | – | – |
| Russia | 2016[n] | Green Alternative | Not in EU | – |
| Spain | 2012 | Confederation of the Greens | – | |
The EGP also includes a number of individual members, although, as most other European parties, it has not sought to develop mass individual membership.[41]
Below is the evolution of individual membership of the EGP since 2019.[42]
As a registered European political party, the EGP is entitled toEuropean public funding, which it has received continuously since 2004.[43]
Below is the evolution of European public funding received by the EGP.
In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the EGP also raisesprivate funds to co-finance its activities. As of 2025, European parties must raise at least 10% of their reimbursable expenditure from private sources, while the rest can be covered using European public funding.[o]
Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by the EGP.[44][45][p]
| This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(August 2020) |
The table below shows the results of the Greens in each election to the European Parliament, in terms of seats and votes. It also shows how many European Commissioners the European Greens have, and who led the parliamentary group. It also lists how the Green parliamentary group and supra-national organisations was named and what European parliamentary group they joined.[46]
| Year | MEPs | MEPs % | Votes % | EC | Leaders | EP Subgroup | EP group | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0 | 0 | 2.4% | 0 | none | none | none | Coordination of European Green and Radical Parties |
| 1984 | 11 | 2.5% | 4.2% | 0 | Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (1984–86) Bram van der Lek (1984–86) Brigitte Heinrich (1986) François Roelants du Vivier (1986) Frank Schwalba-Hoth (1986–87) Paul Staes (1987–88) Wilfried Telkämper (1987–89) | Green Alternative European Link | Rainbow Group | European Green Coordination |
| 1989 | 25 | 4.8% | 7.4% | 0 | Maria Amelia Santos (1989–90) Alexander Langer (1990) Adelaide Aglietta (1990–94) Paul Lannoye (1990–94) | Green Group in the European Parliament | European Green Coordination | |
| 1994 | 21 | 3.7% | 7.4% | 0 | Claudia Roth (1994–98), Alexander Langer (1994–95), Magda Aelvoet (1997–99) | Green Group in the European Parliament | European Federation of Green Parties | |
| 1999 | 38 | 6.1% | 7.7% | 1[q] | Heidi Hautala (1999–2002), Paul Lannoye (1999–2002), Monica Frassoni (2002–04), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (2002–04) | European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Federation of Green Parties |
| 2004 | 35 | 4.8% | 7.3% | 0 | Monica Frassoni (2004–09), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (2004–09) | European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Green Party |
| 2009 | 48[r] | 6.2% | 7.3% | 0 | Rebecca Harms (2009–14), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (2009–14) | European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Green Party |
| 2014 | 50[47][s] | 6.7% | 7.3% | 0 | Rebecca Harms (2014–2016), Ska Keller (2017–2019), Philippe Lamberts (2014–2019) | European Greens | Greens–European Free Alliance | European Green Party |
| 2019 | 67 | 11.4% | 10.0% | 0 | Ska Keller andBas Eickhout | European Greens | Greens-EFA | European Green Party |
| 2024 | 55 | 7.6% | 7.4% | 0 | Terry Reintke andBas Eickhout | European Greens | Greens-EFA | European Green Party |
| Country | Name | Votes | Total | Last EU election | Votes | Total | Last national election | Government status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | The Greens – The Green Alternative | 532,193 | 3,834,662 | 14.1% | 664,055 | 4,835,469 | 13.9% | Government | |
| Belgium | Flemish | Groen | 525,908 | 6,732,157 | 7.8% | 413,836 | 6,780,538 | 6.1% | Government |
| FrenchGerman | Ecolo | 492,330 | 7.2% | 416,452 | 6.1% | Government | |||
| Bulgaria | The Greens | EPP | 2,015,320 | 6.1%[t] | EPP | 2,658,548 | 6.3%[t] | Opposition | |
| Croatia | We Can! | 44,670 | 764,089 | 5.9% | 193,051 | 2,180,411 | 9.1% | Opposition | |
| Cyprus | Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation | 9,232 | 280,935 | 3.3%[u] | 15,762 | 357,712 | 4.4% | Opposition | |
| Czech Republic | Green Party | 0 | 2,370,765 | did not compete | 53,343 | 5,375,090 | 1.0% | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Denmark | Socialist People's Party | 364,895 | 2.758.855 | 13.2% | 272,304 | 3,569,521 | 7.7% | Confidence and supply | |
| Estonia | Estonian Greens | 5,824 | 332,104 | 1.8% | 10,226 | 561,131 | 1.8% | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Finland | Green League | 292,892 | 1,830,045 | 16.0% | 354,194 | 3,081,916 | 11.5% | Government | |
| France | Europe Ecology – The Greens | 3,055,023 | 22,654,164 | 13.5% | 973,527 | 22,655,174 | 4.3% | Opposition | |
| Germany | Alliance 90/The Greens | 7,677,071 | 37,396,889 | 20.5% | 6,852,206 | 46,442,023 | 14.8% | Government | |
| Greece | Ecologist Greens | 49,099 | 5,656,122 | 0.9% | 0 | 5,769,542 | did not compete | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Hungary | LMP – Hungary's Green Party | 75,498 | 3,470,257 | 2.2% | 404,429 | 5,732,283 | 7.1% | Opposition | |
| Ireland | Green Party[v] | 93,575 | 1,745,230 | 5.4% | 66,911 | 2,202,454 | 3.0% | Opposition | |
| Italy | Green Europe | 621,492 | 26,783,732 | 2.3% | 1.071.663 | 29,172,085 | 3.6% | Opposition | |
| South Tyrol | Extra-parliamentary | ||||||||
| Luxembourg | The Greens | 39.535 | 217,086 | 18.9% | 32.177 | 216,177 | 15.1% | Government | |
| Malta | AD+PD | 7,142 | 260,212 | did not compete | 0 | 310,665 | did not compete | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Netherlands | GroenLinks | 599,283 | 5,497,813 | 10.9% | 1.643.073 | 10,432,726 | 15.75%[w] | TBD (Election) | |
| Poland | The Greens | EPP | 13,647,311 | 38.5%[x] | EPP | 18,470,710 | 27.4%[y] | Opposition | |
| Portugal | Ecologist Party "The Greens" | LEFT | 3,314,414 | 6.9%[z] | LEFT | 5,340,890 | 6.3%[z] | Opposition | |
| LIVRE | 60,575 | 3,084,505 | 1.8%[48][circular reference] | 5,417,715 | 71,232 | 1.3%[49][circular reference] | |||
| Romania | Green Party | 0 | 9,069,822 | did not compete | 23,085 | 5,908,331 | 0.4% | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Slovenia | Youth Party – European Greens | 0 | 482,075 | did not compete | 0 | 891,097 | did not compete | Extra-parliamentary | |
| Spain | Equo | 0 | 22,426,066 | did not compete | 582,306 | 24,258,228 | 2.4% | Confidence and supply | |
| Catalonia | Esquerra Verda[aa] | LEFT | Run with UP[ab] | 0 | did not compete | Government | |||
| Catalunya en Comú | LEFT | Run with UP[ab] | LEFT | Run with UP | Government | ||||
| Sweden | Green Party | 478,258 | 4,151,470 | 11.5% | 285,899 | 6,535,271 | 4.4% | Government | |
| European Greens | 15,061,100 | 177,624,368 | 8.48% | 12,240,131 | 214,300,854 | 5.71% | |||
| Organisation | Institution | Number of seats |
|---|---|---|
 European Union | European Parliament | 50 / 720 (7%) [50] |
| European Commission | 0 / 27 (0%) [51] | |
| European Council (Heads of Government) | 0 / 27 (0%) [52] | |
| Council of the European Union (Participation in Government) | ||
| Committee of the Regions | 10 / 329 (3%) [53] | |
| Council of Europe (as part of SOC) | Parliamentary Assembly | 157 / 612 (26%) [54] |
