Editing European People's Party Group (section)

==History==
The Common Assembly of the [[European Coal and Steel Community]] (the predecessor of the present day European Parliament) first met on 10 September 1952<ref name="ENA9892">{{cite web|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/composition_of_the_common_assembly_10_13_september_1952-en-5dd0109a-0c6f-47a3-833a-1c482b599a89.html|title=Composition of the Common Assembly (10–13 September 1952)|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181442/http://www.cvce.eu/obj/composition_of_the_common_assembly_10_13_september_1952-en-5dd0109a-0c6f-47a3-833a-1c482b599a89.html|archive-date=8 January 2014}}</ref> and the first '''Christian Democratic Group''' was unofficially formed the next day, with [[Maan Sassen]] as president.<ref name="EPP-EDChronology02">{{cite web |url=http://www.epp-ed.eu/Group/en/chronology02.asp |title=EPPED Chronology 02 |publisher=Epp-ed.eu |access-date=17 June 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815070808/http://www.eppgroup.eu/group/en/chronology02.asp |archive-date=15 August 2009 }}</ref><ref name="inghistsassen">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=nl&u=http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/BWN/lemmata/bwn6/sassen&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D1952%2B%2522Maan%2BSassen%2522%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26as_qdr%3Dall |title=Sassen, Emanuel Marie Joseph Anthony (1911–1995) |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref> The group held 38 of the 78 seats, two short of an absolute majority.<ref name="EPP-EDChronology02"/><ref name="EPP-EDIntegration">{{cite web |url=http://www.epp-ed.eu/Activities/docs/chronologie-historique-en.pdf |title=Microsoft Word – 2006EN-3-DEF-CH.doc |access-date=17 June 2010 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193037/http://www.epp-ed.eu/Activities/docs/chronologie-historique-en.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 16 June 1953, the Common Assembly passed a resolution<ref name="ena4523">[http://www.cvce.eu/obj/common_assembly_resolution_16_june_1953-en-fe53a389-5c07-410f-a190-78e9dcab80d6.html Common Assembly Resolution (16 June 1953) in ''Journal officiel de la CECA'', 21 July 1953, S. 155] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004170236/http://www.cvce.eu/obj/common_assembly_resolution_16_june_1953-en-fe53a389-5c07-410f-a190-78e9dcab80d6.html |date=4 October 2012 }}</ref> enabling the official formation of political groups; further, on 23 June 1953 the constituent declaration<ref name="ena9842">{{cite web|title=Statement of formation of the Christian-Democratic Group (Strasbourg, 23 June 1953) |url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/statement_of_formation_of_the_christian_democratic_group_strasbourg_23_june_1953-en-09478896-b282-4020-b454-dbb7253951c3.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318125226/http://www.cvce.eu/obj/statement_of_formation_of_the_christian_democratic_group_strasbourg_23_june_1953-en-09478896-b282-4020-b454-dbb7253951c3.html |archive-date=18 March 2014}}</ref> of the group was published and the group was officially formed.<ref name="EPP-EDChronology02"/><ref name="EPP-EDIntegration"/>

[[File:PollsEPP.png|thumb|200px|left|{{center|EPP share of votes in elections to the Eur. Parliament 1999–2019}}]]
The Christian Democrat group was the biggest group at formation, but as time wore on, it lost support and was the second-biggest group by the time of the 1979 elections. As the European Community expanded into the European Union, the dominant centre-right parties in the new member states were not necessarily Christian democratic, and the EPP ([[European People's Party]], the pan-continental political party founded in 1976, to which all group members are now affiliated) feared being sidelined.<ref name="EPPmartens_en">{{cite web |title="Shaping Europe – 25 years of the European People's Party" by Wilfried Martens, President of the European People's Party |url=http://epp-ed.europarl.eu.int/Activities/Forum/doc/martens_en.asp |url-status=dead |publisher=Epp-ed.europarl.eu.int |access-date=17 June 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212233218/http://www.eppgroup.eu/Activities/Forum/doc/martens_en.asp |archive-date=12 December 2012}}</ref> To counter this, the EPP expanded its remit to cover the centre-right regardless of tradition and pursued a policy of integrating liberal-conservative parties.<ref name="EPPmartens_en"/>

This policy led to Greek [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] and Spanish [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] MEPs joining the EPP Group.<ref name="EPPmartens_en"/> The British [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] and Danish [[Conservative People's Party (Denmark)|Conservative People's Party]] tried to maintain a group of their own, named the ''[[European Democrats]]'' (ED), but lack of support and the problems inherent in maintaining a small group forced ED's collapse in the 1990s, and its members crossed the floor to join the EPP Group.<ref name="EPPmartens_en"/> The parties of these MEPs also became full members of the EPP (with the exception of the British Conservative Party, which did not join) and this consolidation process of the European centre-right continued during the 1990s with the acquisition of members from the Italian party {{Lang|it|[[Forza Italia]]|italic=no}}. However, the consolidation was not unalloyed and a split emerged with the Eurosceptic MEPs who congregated in a subgroup within the Group, also called the ''European Democrats'' (ED).

Nevertheless, the consolidation held through the 1990s, assisted by the group being renamed the ''European People's Party – European Democrats'' (EPP-ED) Group; after the [[1999 European Parliament election|1999 European elections]], the EPP-ED reclaimed its position as the largest group in the Parliament from the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Party of European Socialists]] (PES) Group.

Size was not enough, however: the group did not have a majority. It continued therefore to engage in the ''Grand Coalition'' (a coalition with the PES Group, or occasionally the Liberals) to generate the majorities required by the [[cooperation procedure]] under the [[Single European Act]].

Meanwhile, the parties in the European Democrats subgroup were growing restless, with the establishment in July 2006 of the [[Movement for European Reform]],<ref name="BBC5169268">{{cite news |last=Mulvey |first=Stephen |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5169268.stm |title=Tories urged to make EPP split |publisher=BBC News |date=11 July 2006 |access-date=17 June 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718142135/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5169268.stm |archive-date=18 July 2006}}</ref> and finally left following the 2009 elections, when the Czech [[Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic)|Civic Democratic Party]] and British Conservative Party formed their own right-wing ''[[European Conservatives and Reformists Group]]'' (ECR) group on 22 June 2009, abolishing the European Democrats subgroup from that date. The EPP-ED Group reverted to its original name – the EPP Group – immediately.

=== 7th European Parliament (2009) ===
In the [[7th European Parliament]], the EPP Group remained the largest parliamentary group with 275 MEPs. It is currently the only political group in the European parliament to fully represent its corresponding [[European political party]], i.e. the [[European People's Party]]. The United Kingdom was the only member state to not be represented in the group; this state of affairs ceased temporarily on 28 February 2018, when two MEPs suspended from the British Conservative Party left the ECR Group and joined the EPP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ManfredWeber/status/968802968874123264|title=Manfred Weber on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|access-date=28 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428121147/https://twitter.com/ManfredWeber/status/968802968874123264|archive-date=28 April 2018}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=January 2020}} The two MEPs later joined a breakaway political party in the UK, [[The Independent Group]].<ref name='bbc160419'>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47949665|title=Change UK party approved for European elections|date=16 April 2019|access-date=16 April 2019|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

=== 8th European Parliament (2014) ===
[[File:EPP-ED logo.svg|thumb|160px|Logo of European People's Party Group from 1999 to 2015.]]
After twelve member parties in the EPP called for Hungary's [[Fidesz]]'s expulsion or suspension, Fidesz's membership was suspended with a common agreement on 20 March 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.magyarhirlap.hu/kulfold/20210302-orban-emelte-a-tetet-a-neppart-vitajaban |title=Orbán emelte a tétet a Néppárt vitájában |last=Őry |first=Mariann |date=2 March 2021 |website=magyarhirlap.hu |publisher=Magyar Hírlap Kiadói Kft |access-date=20 March 2021 |archive-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302043646/http://magyarhirlap.hu/kulfold/20210302-orban-emelte-a-tetet-a-neppart-vitajaban |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Politics this week |url=https://www.economist.com/the-world-this-week/2019/03/23/politics-this-week |access-date=24 March 2019 |newspaper=The Economist |date=23 March 2019 |page=7 |quote="The European People's Party, a grouping of centre-right parties at the European Parliament, voted to suspend Fidesz, Hungary's ruling party, as a protest against what many in the parliament believe are repeated attempts by the government to undermine the rule of law"}}</ref> The suspension was applied only to the EPP but not to its group in the Parliament.<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/fidesz-meps-remain-in-the-epp-group-for-now/ Fidesz MEPs remain in the EPP for now] Retrieved 27 January 2020.</ref> On 3 March 2021, Fidesz decided to leave the EPP group, after the group's new rules, however still kept their membership in the party.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/03/hungarys-fidesz-party-to-leave-european-parliament-centre-right-group |title=Hungary's Fidesz party to leave European parliament centre-right group {{!}} Hungary |work=The Guardian |date=3 March 2021 |last1=Henley |first1=Jon}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.politico.eu/article/epp-suspension-rules-fidesz-european-parliament-viktor-orban-hungary/| title=Orbán's Fidesz quits EPP group in European Parliament – POLITICO| date=3 March 2021}}</ref> On 18 March 2021, Fidesz decided to leave the [[European People's Party]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hungary: Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party quits European People's Party {{!}} DW {{!}} 18.03.2021|url=https://www.dw.com/en/hungary-viktor-orbans-ruling-fidesz-party-quits-european-peoples-party/a-56919987|access-date=2021-03-18|website=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== 9th European Parliament (2019) ===
In the [[9th European Parliament]], the EPP won 182 seats<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/election-results-2019/en|title=Home 2019 European election results European Parliament|access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> out of a total of 751. They formed a coalition with [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]] and [[Renew Europe]] to elect [[Ursula von der Leyen]] as [[president of the European Commission]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-elected-european-commission-president/ |title=Ursula von der Leyen elected European Commission president|date=16 July 2019|access-date=20 December 2020|publisher=Politico}}</ref>

=== 10th European Parliament (2024) ===
On June 18, 6 new parties joined the group, including the Hungarian [[Tisza Party|Respect and Freedom Party]] (TISZA) and their 7 MEPs, the Dutch [[Farmer–Citizen Movement]] (BBB) and Czech [[Mayors and Independents]] (STAN), each with 2 MEPs, as well as the Danish [[Liberal Alliance (Denmark)|Liberal Alliance]], Dutch [[New Social Contract]] (NSC), and the German [[Family Party of Germany|Family Party]], each with 1 MEP. Combined, the group expanded by 14 MEPs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/14-meps-join-european-people-party-european-parliament-peter-magyar-manfred-weber |title= 14 MEPs vie to join European People's Party in European Parliament|date=18 June 2024|access-date=11 July 2024|publisher=Politico}}</ref>

Later that day, the Hungarian [[Christian Democratic People's Party (Hungary)|Christian Democratic People's Party]] (KDNP) announced their departure from the EPP Group, due to the admission of the [[Tisza Party]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kdnp.hu/hirek/kdnp-tavozik-az-europai-neppartbol-es-ep-frakciojabol|title=A KDNP távozik az Európai Néppártból és EP-frakciójából|date=18 June 2024|access-date=11 July 2024|publisher=KDNP}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.budapesttimes.hu/hungary/epp-group-votes-to-admit-hungarys-opposition-tisza-party-into-its-ranks-kdnp-to-leave-epp/|title=EPP group votes to admit Hungary's opposition Tisza Party into its ranks, KDNP to leave EPP|date=18 June 2024|access-date=11 July 2024|publisher=Budapest Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/european-peoples-party-hungary-weapons-war-in-ukraine-aid-peter-magyar/|title= EPP's new Hungarian members oppose sending weapons to Ukraine|date=18 June 2024|access-date=11 July 2024|publisher=Politico}}</ref>

On 19 June, the group re-elected [[Manfred Weber]] as chairman of the group, and the 10 vice-chairpersons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eppgroup.eu/newsroom/manfred-weber-and-the-new-epp-group-leadership-team-elected|title=Manfred Weber and the new EPP Group leadership team elected|date=2024-06-19|website=EPP Group}}</ref>