Editing Christian Democratic Appeal (section)

====European People's Party ====
[[File:Piet Bukman 1980 (1).jpg|thumb|Former CDA party chair [[Piet Bukman]] was president of the [[European People's Party]] between 1985 and 1987.]]
The CDA is a founding member of the [[European People's Party]] (EPP) and [[European People's Party Group|its parliamentary group]] in the [[European Parliament]] in 1976. For the establishment, CDA focused on the Christian democratic character it believed the party should have. This was explicit in its programme, but CDA believed it should also be visible in the name and membership of the party. In contrast, the more secular and antisocialist [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany]] (CDU) wanted to include conservative parties, to become the largest group and form a front against socialism. As a compromise, the term "Christian democratic" would be included in the subtitle and non-Christian democratic parties would not be allowed to join.{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=179-195}}

CDA would for a long time oppose the membership of the [[Conservative Party (UK)]], [[Forza Italia]] and the return of the [[Austrian People's Party]].{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=179-195}} In 2019, called for the expulsion of the Hungarian [[Fidesz]] party, because of the [[rule of law]] and [[press freedom]] under its rule, which finally led Fidesz to leave in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2273905-cda-stelt-positie-orban-binnen-europese-christen-democraten-ter-discussie|title=CDA stelt positie Orbán binnen Europese christen-democraten ter discussie|date=2019-02-28|access-date=5 August 2024|language=nl|work=NOS Nieuws}}</ref> In the past, the Dutch parties [[50PLUS]] and [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]] were part of the EPP parliamentary group, but not of the party. The Dutch parties [[New Social Contract]] (NSC) and the [[Farmer–Citizen Movement]] (BBB) are since 2024 also member of the parliamentary group.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/06/11/euro-kritische-bbb-en-nsc-willen-nu-bij-de-grootste-fractie-in-brussel-en-dat-lijkt-ondanks-cda-kritiek-te-lukken-a4856093|title= Euro-kritische BBB en NSC willen nu bij de grootste fractie in Brussel – en dat lijkt ondanks CDA-kritiek te lukken |work=[[NRC Handelsblad|NRC]]|access-date=5 August 2024|language=nl|first1=Eppo|last1=König|last2=Aharouay|first2=Lamyae|date=11 June 2024}}</ref>