The Group of European Progressive Democrats was a heterogeneous political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1973 and 1984. It was mostly composed of French Gaullists and Irish Fianna Fáil.
History The Gaullists had split from the Liberal Group on 21 January 1965, creating a new Group called the "European Democratic Union". The Group was renamed on 16 January 1973 as the "Group of European Progressive Democrats" when the Gaullists were joined by the Irish Fianna Fáil until 24 July 1984 when they became the "Group of the European Democratic Alliance".
The group was never a close alliance. In 1973, the only common platform was on the issues of regionalism, social policy and the Common Agricultural Policy. Fianna Fáil, an Irish nationalist party, was reluctant to identify too closely with the Gaullists, who also had an alliance with the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom at the time.
Composition
Members following the 1979 election Member state MEPs Party MEPs List of MEP names France15Défence des Intérêts de la France en Europe/Rassemblement pour la République15Vincent F.M. Ansquer, Jean-José Clement, Pierre-Bernard Cousté, Gustave Deleau, Eugène L. Remilly, Marie-Madeleine Dienesch, Louise Weiss, Michel J.-P. Debré, Maurice S.R.C. Druon, Pierre Messmer, Jacques Chirac, Claude L.L.P. Labbé, Alain Y.M. Gillot, Hubert Jean Buchou, Christian De La Malène Ireland5Fianna Fáil5Sile De Valera, Jerry Cronin, Noel Michael Davern, Seán Flanagan, Patrick Joseph Lalor United Kingdom1Scottish National Party1Winifred M. Ewing Denmark1Fremskridtspartiet1Kai Nyborg
Members following the 1984 election The EPD ceased to exist once the European Parliament groupings were established following the 1984 election, as the party changed into the European Democratic Alliance. Member state MEPs Party MEPs France15Rally for the Republic20 Ireland5Fianna Fáil8 United Kingdom1Scottish National Party1
Sources Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung "Political Data Handbook: OECD Countries", , Jan-Erik Lane, David McKay, Kenneth Newton 1997 Europe Politique European Parliament MEP Archives Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'Europe (CVCE) via European NAvigator Danish Demographic Database, part of the Danish State Archives 1999 Election website for Jan Sturm, a candidate for the June Movement"They cast pearls... - Evidence of EU fraud and Karl Smart administration" by Hans Kloster, Copenhagen 1 October 1998 Website of the Danish June MovementEntry for the "Kænguru-gruppen"/"Kangaroo Group" , an association of members of the European Parliament, Commission and Council, intended to promote free movement and security. Website of the Danish Progress Party
References