Rainbow Group (1989–1994)

Infobox European Parliament group
name = Rainbow Group (89–94)
title = Rainbow Group (89–94)

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imagecaption = RBW logo
from=1989
to=1994
precededby =
succeededby = Group of the European Radical Alliance
englishabbr = RBW
frenchabbr = ARC
formalname = Rainbow Group in the European Parliament
ideology = Regionalism
associated = European Free Alliance
chairs = Jaak Vandemeulebroucke
meps = 13 (July 25, 1989)|The Rainbow Group in the European Parliament was a Regionalist political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1989 and 1994.

History

In 1989 the previous Rainbow Group split. The Greens went off to form the "Green Group", whilst the Regionalists stayed in Rainbow.

This second Rainbow Group was the highpoint of the European Free Alliance to that date.

But the 1994 elections saw a considerable reduction in Regionalist representation in the Parliament, with only the Canary Isles Autonomist, Lega Nord, SNP and VU keeping their MEPs. But Lega Nord had been suspended from the European Free Alliance following its decision to join the coalition Italian government alongside the far-right National Alliance. The weakened EFA were no longer able to maintain their own group and instead allied themselves with the members of the centre-left French Left Radical Party to form the Group of the European Radical Alliance.

ources

*"Regionalist Parties in Western Europe", ISBN 0415164370, de Winter & Türsan 1998 cite book | last = de Winter | first = Lieven | coauthors = Türsan, Huri | title = Regionalist Parties in Western Europe | publisher = Routledge | date = 1998 | pages = pp. 190-201 | isbn = 0415164370]
* [http://www.ena.lu?doc=4327&lang=2 Development of Political Groups in the European Parliament] [http://www.ena.lu?doc=4327&lang=2 Development of Political Groups in the European Parliament] ]
* [http://www.europe-politique.eu Europe Politique] [http://www.europe-politique.eu/groupe-arc-en-ciel.htm G/EFA on Europe Politique] ] [http://www.europe-politique.eu/elections-europeennes-1989.htm 1989 European Parliament election results at July 25, 1989] ]
* [http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/groland/pubs/HNR-Democracy_in_the_EP-11July05.pdf Democracy in the European Parliament] [http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/groland/pubs/HNR-Democracy_in_the_EP-11July05.pdf Democracy in the European Parliament] ]
* [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/archive.do?language=EN European Parliament MEP Archives] [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/archive/term3/view.do?language=EN&id=1470 European Parliament profile of Jaak Vandemeulebroucke] ]

References