Party of the European Left

Party of the European Left
Partei der Europäischen Linken
Parti de la Gauche Européenne
Partito della Sinistra Europea
Partido de la Izquierda Europea
Il-Partit Ewropew tax-Xellug
Κόμμα της Ευρωπαϊκής Αριστεράς (Kómma tis Evropaïkís Aristerás)
Partido da Esquerda Europeia
Avrupa Sol Partisi
Founded 8–9 May 2004;
12 years ago
Headquarters Square de Meeûs 25,
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Youth wing European Network of Democratic Young Left
Ideology Democratic socialism[1]
Communism[1]
Euroscepticism
Political position Left-wing to Far-left
International affiliation None
European Parliament group European United Left–Nordic Green Left
Colours      Red
Political foundation Transform Europe[2]
Website
www.european-left.org

The Party of the European Left, commonly abbreviated European Left (EL), is a European political party which operates as an association of democratic socialist[3] and communist[3] political parties in the European Union and other European countries. It was formed in January 2004 for the purposes of running in the 2004 European Parliament elections. EL was founded on 8–9 May 2004 in Rome.[4] Elected MEPs from member parties of the European Left sit in the European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) group in the European parliament.

Several of the member and observer parties participate also in the more radical European Anti-Capitalist Left. Before the European Left was founded, most of its members already held annual meetings together as part of the New European Left Forum (NELF).[5]

Its first congress took place on 8 October 2005, in Athens, which produced the Athens Declaration of the European Left. The second congress was held 23–25 November 2007 in Prague.[6] The third congress was held on 2–5 December 2010 in Paris.[7][8][9] Its fourth congress was held on 13–15 December 2013 in Madrid.[10] Its fifth congress took place on 16–18 December 2016 in Berlin,[11] electing German lawyer and politician Gregor Gysi as the new EL President. The four Vice-Presidents are Maite Mola, Margarita Mileva, Paolo Ferrero and former EL President Pierre Laurent. Swiss Brigitte Berthouzoz serves as the new EL treasurer.

As of December 2016, the Party of the European Left gathers 27 member parties, 8 observers and 3 partners from 25 European countries.

Member parties

Country Party National MPs European MEPs
 Austria Communist Party of Austria 0 0
 Belarus Belarusian Left Party "A Just World"[12] 0
 Belgium Communist Party 00
 Bulgaria Bulgarian Left[13] 0 0
 Czech Republic Party of Democratic Socialism 0 0
 Denmark Red-Green Alliance[14]
14 / 179
 0
 Estonia Estonian United Left Party 0 0
 Finland Communist Party of Finland[15] 0 0
Left Alliance[12]
12 / 200
1 / 13
 France French Communist Party
12 / 577
18 / 348
2 / 74
Left Party[14]
8 / 577
0 / 348
1 / 74
 Germany The Left[16]
64 / 631
7 / 96
 Greece Coalition of the Radical Left
144 / 300
5 / 21
 Hungary Workers' Party of Hungary 2006[12] 0 0
 Italy Communist Refoundation Party 0
1 / 73
 Luxembourg The Left
2 / 60
 0
 Portugal Left Bloc
19 / 230
1 / 21
 Moldova Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova
21 / 101
 Romania Socialist Party of Romania 0 0
 Slovenia Initiative for Democratic Socialism
6 / 90
as United Left 		0
Party for Eco–Socialism and Sustainable Development of Slovenia – TRS
6 / 90
as United Left 		0
 Spain United Left
8 / 350
4 / 54
Communist Party of Spainin group of United Left in group of United Left
United and Alternative Left in group of United Left in group of United Left
  Switzerland Swiss Party of Labour
1 / 200
 Turkey Freedom and Solidarity Party[17] 0

Observer parties

Country Party National MPs European MPs
 Belgium fr:Mouvement VEGA 0 0
 Cyprus Progressive Party of Working People
19 / 56
2 / 6
 Czech Republic Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
33 / 200
3 / 21
 Italy Italian Left
13 / 630
2 / 73
 Northern Cyprus New Cyprus Party[18] 0
 Northern Cyprus United Cyprus Party[19] 0
 Slovakia Communist Party of Slovakia 0 0
 United Kingdom Left Unity[20] 0 0

Partners

 Austria Der Wandel
 France Ensemble
 Hungary Left Party

As well as those of member and observer parties, individuals may also hold membership of the party.[21]

European Council

The EL has one out of the 28 heads of State or Government that attend the EL summits in preparation for the European Council:

Member State Representative Title Political party Member of the Council since Photo
 Greece
Alexis Tsipras
Prime Minister
Coalition of the Radical Left
26 January 2015

Leadership

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Nordsieck, Wolfram. "Parties and Elections in Europe". www.parties-and-elections.eu. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  2. ↑ http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/grants/Grant_amounts_foundations%2003-2015_new%20logo.pdf
  3. 1 2 Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
  4. ↑ Kate Hudson (2012). The New European Left: A Socialism for the Twenty-First Century?. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-137-26511-1.
  5. ↑ "Some remarks concerning the creation of the Party of the European Left". Official European Left site. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  6. ↑ Press release of the EL Executive Board meeting in Tallinn, May 2007
  7. ↑ "European Left convenes third congress in Paris". Retrieved 2010-01-19.
  8. ↑ "Executive board met in Luxembourg: Countdown to the Congress". Party of the European Left. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  9. ↑ "EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons!". Party of the European Left. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  10. ↑ "Convention of the 4th Congress of the Party of the European Left". Party of the European Left. 12 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  11. ↑ {{http://www.european-left.org/5th-congress-berlin-2016}}
  12. 1 2 3 Approved as a full member by the Executive Board of the PEL in Geneva in October 2009. "The EL Executive Board settles the agenda for 2010". Party of the European Left. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-07. The decision was ratified by PEL's 3rd congress in December 2010. "EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons!". Party of the European Left. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  13. ↑ Approved as a full member by the Executive Board of the PEL in Luxembourg in September 2010. "Executive board met in Luxembourg: Countdown to the Congress". Party of the European Left. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-13. The decision was ratified by PEL's 3rd congress in December 2010. "EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons!". Party of the European Left. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  14. 1 2 Approved as a full member by the Executive Board of the PEL in Barcelona in June 2010. It had an observer status before. The decision was ratified by PEL's 3rd congress in December 2010. "EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons!". Party of the European Left. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  15. ↑ The Communist Party of Finland changed its status from observer to full member party in October 2009. The decision was ratified by PEL's 3rd congress in December 2010. "EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons!". Party of the European Left. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  16. ↑ The Left Party.PDS was a founding party of PEL. Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative had been approved as a full member by the Executive Board of the PEL by May 2007. After the unification of the two parties in The Left (Die Linke) in June 2007, the new party became full member of the PEL
  17. ↑ Approved as a full member by the Executive Board of the PEL in May 2007. The decision was ratified by PEL's 2nd congress.
  18. ↑ Approved in observer status by the Executive Board of the PEL in Geneva in October 2009. "Welcome to four new Members!". Party of the European Left. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  19. ↑ Approved in observer status by the Executive Board of the PEL in Luxembourg in September 2010. "Executive board met in Luxembourg: Countdown to the Congress". Party of the European Left. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  20. ↑ "We will be part of the Party of the European Left group, which includes SYRIZA in Greece and Die Linke in Germany, and calls for a radically different type of European integration." Betzien, Jody (28 April 2014). "Britain: Left Unity spokesperson on challenges in building a new party". Green Left Weekly. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  21. ↑ EL statute, article six
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