The European elections in the EU are coming up soon, and in Germany citizens can vote on June 9, 2024. We introduce the participating parties and explain the party alliances in the European Parliament.

The European elections will take place in EU countries from June 6th to 9th. Different state parties are available for election in each country. With so much party diversity, it could quickly become confusing in the European Parliament – you might think.

In Germany, the same parties will be on the ballot as in the federal election. In the European Parliament they then organize themselves according to party alliances, as the state parties alone would be too small to achieve much. However, the party alliances are comparable to parties in the German Bundestag and represent the political currents. These party alliances exist in the EU Parliament:

European People’s Party (EPP)

The EPP is made up of Christian-democratic and bourgeois-conservative parties and currently has the most seats in the European Parliament. The EPP includes, among others, the CDU, the CSU and the Austrian ÖVP. The EPP has current Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is also running for a second term.

Party of European Socialists (PES)

The Social Democrats are represented in Europe by the PES. They are currently the second strongest force in the European Parliament. The PES includes the German SPD and the Austrian SPÖ, among others. Before Brexit, the British Labour Party was also a member.

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE)

The ALDE is the liberal group in the European Parliament. As a German party, the FDP is a member of the ALDE. The associated ALDE faction is “Renew Europe”, to which French President Emmanuel Macron also belongs.

Identity and Democracy Party (IDP)

Eurosceptics and right-wing populists are represented in the European Parliament by the IDP. These include the German AfD, the Austrian FPÖ, the French RN, the Italian Lega and other smaller parties from other EU countries.

European Green Party (EGP)

The EGP advocates for green politics in Europe. All green parties in the EU member states are represented in it. Together with the European Free Alliance, it forms the “Greens/European Free Alliance” group in the European Parliament.

Party of the European Left (EL)

Left-wing socialist movements are taken up by the EL. This also includes the German Left Party. It currently forms the smallest group in the European Parliament as the “Left Party” group.

Other parties

Another conservative party in the European Parliament is the EKR. Well-known representatives are the Polish PiS and the Italian Fratelli. The Free Voters are represented in the European Parliament as part of the center party EDP. Regional parties are part of the European Free Alliance (EFA). The smallest party in the European Parliament is the conservative ECPM, which forms a group with the EPP.

There are also European parties that are not (yet) officially registered. These include the European Pirate Party and Volt Europa. As an unregistered party, you can still win seats in the European Parliament and become part of a political group.

Due to the increasing abuse of party financing, the rules for registering as a European party were significantly tightened in 2018. An unregistered party therefore has no access to public funding.

Currently only ten parties are registered in the European Parliament. To be recognized as a European party, a party must meet various requirements, such as being represented in a quarter of the EU member states. That is why national parties join together to form party alliances, which are then represented in parliament as European parties.

The European parties nominate their leading candidates, who mainly lead the election campaign. One of these top candidates will be elected President of the Commission by the European Parliament after the European elections. However, the European top candidates differ from the German top candidates, who are only fighting for one seat in the European Parliament.

Highest storm warning level in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate! Continuous rain with up to 100 liters per square meter floods cities and causes dams to burst. Read everything important in the weather ticker.

The AfD politician Björn Höcke was sentenced to a fine of €13,000 by the Halle regional court for using a banned Nazi slogan. Political expert Jürgen W. Falter doubts whether the verdict actually has the effect expected and desired by many.