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Renew Europe is the third largest group in the European Parliament with 101 members of the Parliament, MEPs (out of 720 total) with participants from 23 EU members states defending European-wide values and liberal principles.
Background
The group’s goals are: strengthening democracy and transparency; creating jobs and opportunities; leading the digital transformation; making Europe stronger in the world, and combating climate change.
Organizationally, there is the following group’s structure: the group’s president, 13 Vice Presidents and a quaestor; as well as the bureau, which consists of 52 party members.
More in: https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/about-us/group-structure
Source: https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/
There are four main group’s priorities for 2019-24: = promoting European values, = investing in sustainable future, = stronger EU economy and opportunities for all; and = a Europe “that can deliver for its citizens”.
More in: https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/priorities
Parties and groups in the European Parliament, EP
According to the EP’s “party rules”, the political groups in the European Parliament, EP must comprise members elected from at least one quarter of the EU member states (7 states) and must consist of at least 23 members (Rule 33).
= There were ten EU-wide political parties in the EP by the end of 2023: = the European People’s Party, = the Party of European Socialists, = the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, = the European Green Party, = the European Conservatives and Reformists Party, = the Party of the European Left, = the Identity and Democracy Party, – the European Democratic Party, = the European Free Alliance, and = the European Christian Political Movement.
= There are presently seven political groups in the EP: = Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats). = Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; = Renew Europe Group; = Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance; = European Conservatives and Reformists Group; = Identity and Democracy Group; and = the Left group -GUE/NGL.
There are as well so-called supranational parties: they work in close cooperation with the corresponding political groups in the European Parliament. Some of the most important European political foundations include:
= the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies,
= the Foundation for European Progressive Studies,
= the European Liberal Forum,
= the Green European Foundation,
= the Institute of European Democrats,
= Transform Europe, and
= the New Direction for European Reform.
Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/20/the-european-parliament-organisation-and-operation
Renew Europe’s trends and priorities
Integrated Europe needs “renewed strategy” with a clear vision of enhancing the EU’s capacity as a global actor. Hence, the Global Europe Forum organised by the European Parliament’s Renew Europe party has been aimed at shaping EU-wide centrist and liberal future.
More in Global Europe Forum (9.01.24): https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/events/2023-11-14/global-europe-forum
Renew Europe believes that in a changing world order, the states are stronger together and weaker apart. Hence, the party upholds its principles and remains committed to multilateralism, international and human rights law and sustainable development. Besides, it wishes to strengthen the role of the Commission High Representative to ensure that the EU can act as a united and more influential global actor: in this way, a reinforced CFSP should include traditional EU ‘soft power’ but also strengthened security, trade and defense policies and instruments. The party intends to move towards a genuine European Defense Union in close cooperation with NATO. It supports new strategies with regard to the EU’s foreign policy; but external relations must be based on the values upon which the EU is founded.
As to the EU neighborhood and African issues, this direction shall effectively deal with economic development and security.
Citation and reference to the group’s priorities in: https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/priorities
Note: With Stéphane Séjourné ending his sojourn in the Parliament in January 2024 to take up his new job as French foreign minister, the race is on to replace him as leader of the liberal Renew Europe group. On the shortlist were: Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Valérie Hayer and Malik Azmani. Vedrenne is a member of the French Democratic Movement (MoDem) party and vice chair of the Parliament’s trade committee. V. Hayer, also French, is a member of Macron’s Renaissance party and sits on the Parliament’s budget committee.
Azmani is a member of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee and was the lead candidate of the Dutch People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in the last European election. Jan-Christoph Oetjen has replaced Nicola Beer as one of Parliament’s vice presidents, representing the Renew Group; Beer left the Parliament to become a vice president of the European Investment Bank. Michael Kauch, a former German MP turned consultant, replaced Beer as a German Renew MEP.
Group’s membership
Danish MEPs: Morten Lokegaard (“Venstre” Denmark’s Liberal Party), vice president, Bergur Rasmussen (son of the former Danish PM), and Morten Petersen.
Plus, the following parties from numerous states are members: in DK – Radicale Venstre; in Russia –Yabloko, in Ukraine (four parties): Sila Lyudey, Golos, Civic Position and European Party of Ukraine.
From Latvia: Ijabs Ivars, Bureau member, participating parties: “Yes to Development”/Kustiba Par, and Latvijas Attistibai (socio-economic development).
More on Latvian members in: https://attistibaipar.lv/kontakti/
Renew Europe’s membership in the European Parliament: historic evolution:
– ELDR (during 1976–2004), then – ALDE (during 2004–2019); presently – Renew (since 2019 – ).
ALDE was represented in the EU through: 4 EU Prime Ministers, 6 European Commissioners and 64 Members of European Parliament.
Source: https://www.aldeparty.eu/ ; and party’s congress in 2023: https://www.aldeparty.eu/press_release_alde_council_bucharest /21Oct.2023.