European People's Party

Infobox European_Political_Party
party_name = European People's Party
party_name_de = Europäische Volkspartei
party_name_fr = Parti populaire européen
party_name_it = Partito Popolare Europeo
party_name_es = Partido Popular Europeo
party_name_pl = Europejska Partia Ludowa
party_name_nl = Europese Volkspartij
party_name_hu = Európai Néppárt
praty_name_pt = Partido Popular Europeu
party_articletitle = European People's Party
party_
president = Wilfried Martens
foundation = 1976
ideology = Christian democracy
Liberal conservativism
international = Centrist Democrat International, International Democrat Union
europarl = European People's Party - European Democrats
colours = Blue, Orange
headquarters = Rue du Commerce / Handelsstraat 10, Brussels, B-1000
website = [http://www.epp.eu/ www.epp.eu] The European People's Party (EPP) is a Christian democratic and liberal conservative European political party. Founded in 1976, the EPP has 72 member-parties from 39 countries, 11 EU and 6 non-EU heads of government, 9 European Commissioners (including the President), and the largest group in the European Parliament with 288 members.

According to its website, the EPP is "the family of the political centre-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilization of the European continent and has pioneered the European project from its inception."

Its current President is former Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Martens was re-elected President at the March 2006 EPP Congress in Rome for a 3-year term. In the same Congress, French Minister Michel Barnier (UMP), Finnish Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (KOK), former Slovenian Prime Minister Lojze Peterle (NSi), former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), German State Secretary Peter Hintze (CDU), Irish opposition leader Enda Kenny (FG) and Chairman of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (PO) were elected as EPP Vice-Presidents.

The EPP currently holds the Presidencies of the three main EU institutions: the European Commission led by President José Manuel Barroso (PSD), the European Council led by Prime Minister Janez Janša (SDS), and the European Parliament led by President Hans-Gert Pöttering (CDU). In the second half of 2008, it will continue to chair the Presidency of the European Council, led by French President Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP).

EPP has 11 out of the 27 heads of State or Government in the European Council: Jan Peter Balkenende (Netherlands, CDA), Lawrence Gonzi (Malta, PN), Janez Janša (Slovenia, SDS), Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxembourg, CSV), Kostas Karamanlis (Greece, ND), Angela Merkel (Germany, CDU), Fredrik Reinfeldt (Sweden, MSP), Nicolas Sarkozy (France, UMP), Donald Tusk (Poland, PO), Yves Leterme (Belgium, CD&V), and Silvio Berlusconi (Italy, FI).

Besides, it has 5 heads of State or Government who do not normally take part in the European Council since that responsibility belongs to the other leaders of their countries: Aníbal Cavaco Silva (Portugal, PSD), François Fillon (France, UMP), Horst Köhler (Germany, CDU), Edward Fenech Adami (Malta, PN) and Traian Băsescu (Romania, PD-L).

EPP, through its associate parties, also has 6 heads of State or Government from non-EU countries: Ivo Sanader (Croatia, HDZ), Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkey, AKP), Vojislav Koštunica (Serbia, DSS), Sali Berisha (Albania, DP), Nikola Gruevski (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE), Viktor Yushchenko (Ukraine, NSNU) & Yulia Tymoshenko (Ukraine, Fatherland) and Mikheil Saakashvili (Georgia, UNM).

By invitation of the EPP President, the heads of government - along with leaders of the opposition - the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament customarily meet a few hours prior to the Summit of the European Council at Brussels suburb of Meise for the EPP Summit to form common positions.

EPP has 9 out of 27 members of the European Commission: President José Manuel Barroso (Portugal, PSD), Vice President Jacques Barrot (France, UMP), Vice President Franco Frattini, (Italy, FI), Joe Borg, (Malta, PN), Stavros Dimas (Greece, ND), Ján Figeľ (Slovakia, KDH), Andris Piebalgs (Latvia, TP), Viviane Reding (Luxembourg, CSV), and Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Austria, ÖVP).

In the European Parliament the EPP is allied with the more eurosceptic 'European Democrats' sub-group to form the EPP-ED Group of 288 MEPs. The current Group Chairman in French UMP politician Joseph Daul, replacing Hans-Gert Pöttering who was elected as the new President of the European Parliament in January 2007.

EPP also has parliamentary groups in the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

In recent years, the EPP has been developing beyond Europe bilateral relations with major conservative and like-minded parties. Due its firm transatlantic orientation, North America has been a particular focus of the Party's international activities.

Member parties

*Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) (Austrian Peoples Party)

*flag|Flanders
**Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic & Flemish)
**Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) (New Flemish Alliance)
*flag|Wallonia
**Centre Démocrate Humaniste (CDH) (Humanist Democratic Centre)

*Демократи за силна България (Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria)
*Съюз на Демократичните Сили (Union of the Democratic Forces)
*Демократическа партия (DP) (Democratic Party)
*Български Земеделски Народен Съюз - Народен Съюз (Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union)
*Граждани за европейско развитие на България (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria)

*Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός (Democratic Rally)

*Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová (KDU-CSL) (Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party)

*Det Konservative Folkeparti (KF) (Conservative People's Party)
*Kristendemokraterne (Christian Democrats)

*Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica)

*Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK) (National Coalition Party)

*Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) (Union for a Popular Movement)

*Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU) (Christian Democratic Union),
*Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (CSU) (Christian Social Union of Bavaria)

*Νέα Δημοκρατία (ND) (New Democracy)

*Fidesz – Magyar Polgári Szövetség (Hungarian Civic Union),
*Magyar Demokrata Fórum (MDF) (Hungarian Democratic Forum)
*Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt (KDNP) (Christian Democratic People's Party)

*Fine Gael (FG) (The United Ireland Party)

*Forza Italia (FI) (Italy Forward),
*Popolari-UDEUR (UDEUR) (Democratic Union for Europe),
*Unione Democratici Cristiani di Centro (UDC) (Union of Christian Democratic and Democratics of Centre)

*Tautas Partija (TP) (People's Party),
*Jaunais Laiks (JL) (New Era)

*Lietuvos Krikšcionys Demokratai (LKD) (Lithuanian Christian Democrats),
*Tėvynės sąjunga - Lietuvos konservatoriai (TS-LK) (Homeland Union - Lithuanian Conservative Party)

*Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV) (Christian-Social People's Party)

*Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) (Nationalist Party)

*Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) (Christian Democratic Appeal)

*Platforma Obywatelska (PO) (Civic Platform)
*Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (PSL) (Polish Peasant Party)

*Democratic and Social Center / People's Party (CDS/PP)
*Partido Social Democrata (PSD)(Social Democratic Party)

*Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin şi Democrat (PNŢCD) (Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party)
*Partidul Democrat-Liberal (PD-L) (Democratic Liberal Party)
*Uniunea Democrată a Maghiarilor din România (UDMR) (Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania)

*Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia - Demokratická strana (SDKÚ-DS) (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party),
*Magyar Koalíció Pártja/Strana maďarskej koalície (SMK) (Party of Hungarian Coalition),
*Krestanskodemokraticke hnutie (KDH) (Christian Democratic Movement of Slovakia)

*Slovenska demokratska stranka (SDS) (Slovenian Democratic Party),
*Nova Slovenija Krščanska ljudska stranka (NSi) (New Slovenia)
*Slovenska ljudska stranka (SLS) (Slovenian People's Party)

*Partido Popular (PP) (People's Party)
*Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (Democratic Union of Catalonia)

*Moderata samlingspartiet (M or MSP) (Moderate Party),
*Kristdemokraterna (KD) (Christian Democrats)

Associate members

*Hrvatska demokratska zajednica (HDZ) (Croatian Democratic Union)
*Hrvatska seljačka stranka (HSS) (Croatian Peasant Party)

*Høyre (H) (Conservatives)

*Демократска странка Србије (DSS) (Democratic Party of Serbia)
*Г17+ (G17 Plus)

*Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei (CVP) (Christian Democratic People's Party)

Observer members

*Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë (Democratic Party of Albania)
*Partia Demokrate e Re (New Democratic Party)

*Biełaruski Narodny Front (BNF) (Belarusian Popular Front)
*Abjadnanaja Hramadzianskaja Partyja Biełarusi (AHP) (United Civil Party of Belarus)

*Stranka demokratske akcije (SDA) (Party of Democratic Action)
*Hrvatska demokratska zajednica 1990 (HDZ1990) (The Croatian Democratic Union 1990)
*Hrvatska demokratska zajednica Bosne i Hercegovine (HDZBiH) (The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
*Partija demokratskog progresa RS (PDP) (Party of Democratic Progress)

*Demokratski centar (DC) (Democratic Center)

*Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (Christian Democrats)

*VMRO-DPMNE

*Südtiroler Volkspartei (South Tyrolese People's Party)

*Partidul Popular Creştin Democrat (Christian-Democratic People's Party)

*Kristelig Folkeparti(KrF) (Christian People's Party)

*Partito Democratico Cristiano Sammarinese (PDCS) (San Marinese Christian Democratic Party)

*Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) (Justice and Development Party)

*Narodnyi Soyuz Nasha Ukrayina (NSNU) (People's Union "Our Ukraine")
*Народний Рух України (Rukh) (Narodnyi Rukh Ukrajiny, People's Movement of Ukraine)
*Всеукраїнське об'єднання "Батьківщина" (Vseukrayins'ke Obyednannya Bat’kivshchyna - All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland")

ee also

*Youth of the European People's Party

External links

* [http://www.epp.eu European People's Party] official site
* [http://www.epp-ed.eu EPP-ED Group] official site