Greens–European Free Alliance

The Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) is a political group of the European Parliament composed primarily of green political parties.[5][6][7]

The Greens/European
Free Alliance
European Parliament group
NameThe Greens/European Free Alliance
English abbr.Greens/EFA[1]
French abbr.Verts/ALE[2]
Formal nameParliamentary Group of The Greens/European Free Alliance in the European Parliament
IdeologyGreen politics
Political positionCentre-left[3] to left-wing[4]
European partiesEuropean Green Party (majority)
Volt Europa (majority)
European Free Alliance (minority)
European Pirate Party (majority)
From1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Preceded byThe Green Group
European Radical Alliance
Chaired byBas Eickhout
Terry Reintke
MEP(s)
53 / 720
Websitegreens-efa.eu

The group consists of four distinct European political parties, namely the European Green Party (EGP), Volt Europa (Volt), part of the European Free Alliance (EFA) and the European Pirate Party (PPEU).

History

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Formed following the 1999 European elections for the 5th European Parliament, the group has generally limited its membership to progressive parties.[8] These European parties are joined by MEPs from non-aligned national parties, which have included the Dutch Europe Transparent (2004–2009) and the Swedish (2009–2014), German (2014–) and Czech (2019–) Pirate Parties.[9]

9th European Parliament

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On 9 June 2019, following a pan-European vote of party members, Volt Europa chose to join the Greens–European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament.[10][11]

10th European Parliament

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On 19 June 2024, the group elected Bas Eickhout, and re-elected Terry Reintke, as Co-Presidents of the group.[12] On 25 June, the group elected the members of its bureau.[13]

MEPs

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10th European Parliament

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Greens–European Free Alliance has MEPs in 17 member states. Dark green indicates member states sending multiple MEPs, light green indicates member states sending a single MEP.
State National party European party MEPs[14]
  Austria The Greens – The Green Alternative EGP
2 / 20
  Belgium Ecolo EGP
1 / 8
Green EGP
1 / 12
  Croatia We can! EGP
1 / 12
  Czech Republic Czech Pirate Party PPEU
1 / 21
  Denmark Green Left EGP
3 / 15
  Finland Green League EGP
2 / 15
  France The Ecologists EGP
5 / 81
  Germany Alliance 90/The Greens EGP
12 / 96
Volt Germany
Volt Deutschland (Volt)
Volt Europa
3 / 96
  Italy Green Europe EGP
4 / 76
  Latvia The Progressives EGP
1 / 9
  Lithuania Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" EGP
1 / 11
  Luxembourg The Greens EGP
1 / 6
  Netherlands GreenLeft EGP
4 / 31
Volt Netherlands
Volt Nederland (Volt)
Volt Europa
2 / 31
  Romania Independent
Nicolae Ștefănuță
Independent
1 / 33
  Slovenia Vesna - Green Party EGP
1 / 9
  Spain Republican Left of Catalonia EFA
1 / 61
Galician Nationalist Bloc EFA
1 / 61
Catalunya en Comú EGP associate member
1 / 61
Més–Compromís EFA
1 / 61
  Sweden Green Party EGP
3 / 21
  European Union Total
53 / 720

9th European Parliament

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Greens–European Free Alliance MEPs 2019-2024. Dark green indicates member states sending multiple MEPs, light green indicates member states sending a single MEP.
State National party European party MEPs[15]
  Austria The Greens – The Green Alternative
Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative (Grüne)
EGP               
3 / 19
  Belgium Ecolo EGP
2 / 8
Green
Groen
EGP
1 / 12
  Czech Republic Czech Pirate Party
Česká pirátská strana (Piráti)
PPEU
3 / 21
  Denmark Green Left
Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF)
EGP
2 / 14
  Finland Green League
Vihreä liitto (Vihr)
EGP
3 / 14
  France Europe Ecology – The Greens
Europe Écologie Les Verts (EELV)
EGP
10 / 79
Let's Do Corsica
Femu a Corsica (FaC)
EFA individual member
1 / 79
Breton Democratic Union
Unvaniezh Demokratel Breizh (UDB)
EFA
1 / 79
  Germany Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Grüne)
EGP
21 / 96
Ecological Democratic Party
Ökologisch-Demokratische Partei (ÖDP)
EFA individual member
1 / 96
Pirate Party Germany
Piratenpartei Deutschland (Piraten)
PPEU
1 / 96
Volt Germany
Volt Deutschland (Volt)
Volt Europa
1 / 96
Independent
Nico Semsrott
Independent
1 / 96
  Greece Kosmos
Κόσμος
None
1 / 21
  Italy Territorial Equity Movement
Movimento Equità Territoriale (MET)
EFA individual member
1 / 76
Independents
Ignazio Corrao, Rosa D'Amato
Independent
2 / 76
  Ireland Green Party
Comhaontas Glas
EGP
2 / 13
  Lithuania Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union
Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga (LVŽS)
None
2 / 11
  Luxembourg The Greens
Déi Gréng (DG)
EGP
1 / 6
  Netherlands GreenLeft
GroenLinks (GL)
EGP
3 / 29
  Poland Independent
Sylwia Spurek
Independent
1 / 52
  Portugal Independent
Francisco Guerreiro
Independent
1 / 21
  Romania Independent
Nicolae Ștefănuță
Independent
1 / 33
  Spain Republican Left of Catalonia
Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC)
EFA
2 / 59
Galician Nationalist Bloc
Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG)
EFA
1 / 59
  Sweden Green Party
Miljöpartiet de gröna (MP)
EGP
3 / 21
  European Union Total
72 / 705

8th European Parliament

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State National party European party MEPs 2014[16]
  Austria The Greens – The Green Alternative EGP
3 / 18
  Belgium Ecolo EGP
1 / 21
Green EGP
1 / 21
  Croatia ORaH[B 1] EGP
1 / 11
  Denmark Socialist People's Party EGP
1 / 13
  Estonia Indrek Tarand (independent) Independent[17]
1 / 6
  Finland Green League EGP
1 / 13
  France Europe Ecology – The Greens[B 2] EGP
6 / 74
  Germany Alliance '90/The Greens EGP
11 / 96
Pirate Party PPEU
1 / 96
Ecological Democratic Party None
1 / 96
  Hungary Politics Can Be Different EGP
1 / 21
Dialogue for Hungary None
1 / 21
  Italy Federation of the Greens EGP
1 / 73
  Latvia Latvian Russian Union EFA
1 / 8
  Lithuania Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union None
1 / 11
  Luxembourg The Greens EGP
1 / 6
  Netherlands GreenLeft EGP
2 / 26
  Spain Republican Left of Catalonia[B 3] EFA
1 / 54
Initiative for Catalonia Greens EGP
1 / 54
Coalició Compromís EFA
1 / 54
New Catalan Left EFA
1 / 54
  Slovenia Verjamem None
1 / 8
  Sweden Green Party EGP
4 / 20
  United Kingdom Green Party of England and Wales EGP
3 / 73
Scottish National Party EFA
2 / 73
Plaid Cymru – Party of Wales EFA
1 / 73
  European Union
Total
52 / 751

7th European Parliament

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State National party European party MEPs 2009[18]
  Austria The Greens – The Green Alternative EGP
2 / 19
  Belgium Ecolo EGP
2 / 22
Green EGP
1 / 22
New Flemish Alliance[B 4] EFA
1 / 22
  Denmark Socialist People's Party EGP
1 / 13
  Estonia Indrek Tarand (independent) Independent[17]
1 / 6
  Finland Green League EGP
2 / 13
  France The Greens EGP
15 / 74
Party of the Corsican Nation EFA
1 / 72
  Germany Alliance '90/The Greens EGP
14 / 99
  Greece Ecologist Greens EGP
1 / 22
  Latvia Latvian Russian Union EFA
1 / 9
  Luxembourg The Greens EGP
1 / 6
  Netherlands GreenLeft EGP
3 / 26
  Spain Republican Left of Catalonia[B 3] EFA
1 / 54
Initiative for Catalonia Greens EGP
1 / 54
  Sweden Green Party EGP
2 / 20
Pirate Party PPEU
2 / 20
  United Kingdom Green Party of England and Wales EGP
2 / 73
Scottish National Party EFA
2 / 73
Plaid Cymru – Party of Wales EFA
1 / 73
  European Union
Total
55 / 751

6th European Parliament

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State National party European party MEPs 2004
  Austria The Greens – The Green Alternative EGP
2 / 19
  Belgium Ecolo EGP
1 / 24
Green EGP
1 / 24
  Denmark Socialist People's Party EGP
1 / 14
  Finland Green League EGP
1 / 14
  France The Greens EGP
6 / 78
Party of the Corsican Nation EFA
1 / 78
  Germany Alliance '90/The Greens EGP
13 / 99
  Italy Federation of the Greens EGP
2 / 78
  Latvia Latvian Russian Union EFA
1 / 9
  Luxembourg The Greens EGP
1 / 6
  Netherlands GreenLeft EGP
2 / 23
Europe Transparent None
2 / 23
  Romania László Tőkés (independent)[B 5] Independent
1 / 35
  Spain Republican Left of Catalonia[B 3] EFA
1 / 54
Initiative for Catalonia Greens EGP
1 / 54
  Sweden Green Party EGP
1 / 19
  United Kingdom Green Party of England and Wales EGP
2 / 78
Scottish National Party EFA
2 / 78
Plaid Cymru – Party of Wales EFA
1 / 78
  European Union
Total
42 / 751

5th European Parliament

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State National party European party MEPs 1999
  Austria The Greens – The Green Alternative EGP
2 / 21
  Belgium Ecolo EGP
3 / 25
Green EGP
2 / 25
People's Union EFA
2 / 25
  Denmark Socialist People's Party EGP
1 / 16
  Finland Green League EGP
2 / 15
  France The Greens EGP
9 / 87
  Germany Alliance '90/The Greens EGP
7 / 99
  Italy Federation of the Greens EGP
2 / 87
  Ireland Green Party EGP
2 / 15
  Luxembourg The Greens EGP
1 / 6
 Netherlands GreenLeft EGP
2 / 23
  Spain Eusko Alkartasuna PNV
1 / 63
Basque Nationalist Party PNV
1 / 63
Andalusian Party EC
1 / 63
Galician Nationalist Bloc EFA
1 / 63
  Sweden Green Party EGP
2 / 22
  United Kingdom Green Party of England and Wales EGP
2 / 87
Scottish National Party EFA
2 / 87
Plaid Cymru – Party of Wales EFA
2 / 87
  European Union
Total
48 / 626


  1. ^ From 20 April 2016 the MEP Davor Škrlec become independent
  2. ^ For 2019 it include Benoît Biteau, an independent politician
  3. ^ a b c Until 31 December 2011.
  4. ^ From 2004 to 2009 with EPP-ED and from 2014 with ECR
  5. ^ Realigned with the EPP since 2009

Group leadership

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Presidents

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The Greens/EFA group is usually co-chaired by 2 presidents, at least one of them must be a woman.

Co-chairperson Took office Left office Country
(Constituency)
Party Co-chairperson Took office Left office Country
(Constituency)
Party
Paul Lannoye   1999 2004   Belgium
(French)
 
Ecolo
Heidi Hautala   1999 2004   Finland  
Green League
Daniel Cohn-Bendit   2004 2014   Germany  
Alliance 90/
The Greens
Monica Frassoni   2004 2009   Italy
(North-West)

Federation of the Greens
Rebecca Harms   2009 2016   Germany  
Alliance 90/
The Greens
Philippe Lamberts   2014 2024   Belgium
(French)
 
Ecolo
Ska Keller   2016 2022   Germany  
Alliance 90/
The Greens
Terry Reintke   2022 present   Germany  
Alliance 90/
The Greens
Bas Eickhout   2024 present   Netherlands  
GroenLinks

Bureau

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2024–present

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Group bureau during the 10th European Parliament.[13]

Position Name National Party European Party
Co-President Bas Eickhout   GroenLinks EGP
Co-President Terry Reintke   The Greens EGP
Treasurer and
Vice-President
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen   Green Left EGP
Vice-President Alice Bah Kuhnke   Green Party EGP
Vice-President Marie Toussaint   The Ecologists EGP
Vice-President Virginijus Sinkevičius   Union of Democrats EGP
Vice-President Ignazio Marino   Green Europe EGP
Vice-President Sergey Lagodinsky   The Greens EGP
President of
the EFA delegation
Diana Riba   Republican Left of Catalonia EFA

European Parliament results

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Election year No. of
overall seats won
+/–
1999
48 / 626
  48
2004
42 / 732
  6
2009
55 / 736
  13
2014
50 / 751
  5
2019 (pre-Brexit)
74 / 751
[19]
  24
2019 (post-Brexit)
69 / 705
  5
2024
53 / 720
  16

References

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  1. ^ "Who we are". Archived 18 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Greens-efa.eu. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  2. ^ "Qui sommes-nous ?" Archived 23 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Greens-efa.eu. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  3. ^ "The Greens – The Green Alternative". The Democratic Society. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Austrian government teeters as Greens seek options to oust PM Kurz". Reuters. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  5. ^ Tapio Raunio (2012). "Political Interests: The European Parliament's Party Groups". In John Peterson; Michael Shackleton (eds.). The Institutions of the European Union. Oxford University Press. p. 341. ISBN 978-0-19-957498-8.
  6. ^ Andreas Staab (2011). The European Union Explained, Second Edition: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact. Indiana University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-253-00164-1.
  7. ^ Lori Thorlakson (2013). "Federalism and the European Party System". In Alexander H. Trechsel (ed.). Towards a Federal Europe. Taylor & Francis. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-317-99818-1.
  8. ^ Gupta, Devashree (April 2008). "Nationalism across borders: transnational nationalist advocacy in the European Union". Comparative European Politics. 6 (1): 61–80. doi:10.1057/palgrave.cep.6110127. S2CID 144152782.
  9. ^ "VoteWatch Europe: European Parliament, Council of the EU" Archived 10 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Votewatch.eu. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  10. ^ @EuropeElects (9 June 2019). "EU28: Volt Europa membership vote on..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Petitjean, Euranet Plus News Agency | Sophie (12 June 2019). "Volt Europa : "We need European solutions to European problems"".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "GREENS/EFA Group elects Bas Eickhout and Terry Reintke as Co-Presidents". Greens/EFA Group. 19 June 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Greens/EFA Group elects bureau". Greens/EFA. 25 June 2024.
  14. ^ "MEPs by Member State and political group". Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  15. ^ "MEPs by Member State and political group". Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  16. ^ See the 2014 European Parliament election results.
  17. ^ a b "Indrek Tarand". European Parliament. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  18. ^ "List of elected MEPs". Greens-efa.eu. Archived 9 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "2019 Election Results" Archived 27 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Election-Results.eu. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
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