The Technical Group of Independents was a heterogenous political technical group in the European Parliament operating between 1979 and 1984.

History The Technical Group of Independents was formed in 1979. The group was officially called "Group for the Technical Coordination and the Defence of Independent Groups and Members" and it used the abbreviation "CDI". It was a coalition of parties ranging from the centre to the radical left, which were not aligned with any of the major international party federations. In 1984 most of the CDI members later joined the "Rainbow Group".

The group was a rather diverse alliance, and this was reflected in its chairs which included the Italian Radical Marco Pannella, the hardline Irish Republican Neil Blaney and Danish left-wing Eurosceptic Jens-Peter Bonde. On 13 December 1983, the group was joined by British MEP Michael Gallagher of the Social Democratic Party, who was previously member of the Labour Party and Socialist Group.

MEPs at 13 December 1983 Member state MEPs Party MEPs by party Notes Belgium1People's Union1Maurits Coppieters Ireland1Independent Fianna Fáil1Neil Blaney United Kingdom1Social Democratic Party1Michael Gallagher Denmark4People's Movement against the EEC4Else Hammerich, Jens-Peter Bonde, Sven Skovmand, Jørgen Bøgh Italy5Proletarian Unity Party1Luciana CastellinaProletarian Democracy1Mario CapannaRadical Party3Marco Pannella, Emma Bonino, Leonardo Sciascia

Sources Europe PolitiqueG/EFA on Europe Politique1979 European Parliament election results at July 17, 1979 European Parliament MEP ArchivesEuropean Parliament profile of Neil BlaneyEuropean Parliament profile of Marco PannellaEuropean Parliament profile of Jens-Peter BondeEuropean Parliament profile of Maurits P.-A. CoppietersEuropean Parliament profile of Else HammerichEuropean Parliament profile of Sven SkovmandEuropean Parliament profile of Jørgen BøghEuropean Parliament profile of Luciana CastellinaEuropean Parliament profile of Mario CapannaEuropean Parliament profile of Emma BoninoEuropean Parliament profile of Leonardo Sciascia CVCE- Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'EuropePolitical groups in the European Parliament (1979)Development of Political Groups in the European Parliament

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