European Democratic Party


The European Democratic Party, also known as the European Democrats, is a centrist European political party in favour of European integration.
Within the European Parliament, its MEPs form the Renew Europe group, together with those of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe party and the French Renaissance party. The President is François Bayrou.
The youth wing of the EDP is the Young Democrats for Europe.
As of 2025, EDP members participate in the national government of three EU member states: EDP President François Bayrou leading the government in France, Les Engagés in Belgium, which participates in the government of Prime Minister Bart De Wever and, EDP individual member Marian Harkin, who participates in the government of Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Two European regions are also led by an EDP politician, with Spain's Basque Country being led by Imanol Pradales of the Basque Nationalist Party and with Spain's Canary Islands being led by Fernando Clavijo Batlle of the Canarian Coalition; EDP member Free Voters participates as a junior coalition partner in the state government of Bavaria in Germany, as does Italia Viva in Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Campania and Basilicata and Les Engagés in Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
The European Democratic Party is also a member of the European Movement International and was a member of the World Alliance of Democrats until its dissolution in 2012.
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History

The European Democratic Party was initiated on 16 April 2004 and formally founded on 9 December 2004 in Brussels.
In 2005, the European Democratic Party, together with the United States Democratic Party and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, co-founded the Alliance of Democrats international.
François Bayrou of the Union for French Democracy and later the Democratic Movement and Francesco Rutelli, former leader of the Democracy is Freedom and Alliance for Italy parties, served as the two co-presidents until 2019. Now, François Bayrou serves as the only president.
The EDP was founded in reaction to the rising influence of Eurosceptic parties within European institutions. It drew pro-European centrist parties from the European People's Party group to form a new centrist multinational bloc. Its co-founder François Bayrou described it as a party for people being neither conservative nor socialist."
Since the beginning of the 6th European Parliament of 2004–2009, the EDP has formed a joint European parliamentary group with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party called the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group. This parliamentary group was renamed in 2019 as Renew Europe.
The European Democratic Party is ideologically centrist and federalist. Some major members and affiliated parties like EAJ-PNV, Free Voters, MoDem, MCC, Canarian Coalition and the disbanded Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy follow a Christian democratic or liberal conservative line.
At its 20th anniversary congress in Brussels in December 2024, the party adopted a new orange brand identity and logo, taking on the short name ‘Democrats’.

Membership

Members are national and regional political parties as well as members of the European Parliament, national and regional parliaments.

Former members

Individual members

The EDP also includes a number of individual members, although, as most other European parties, it has not sought to develop mass individual membership.
Below is the evolution of individual membership of the EDP since 2019.

Funding

As a registered European political party, the EDP is entitled to European public funding, which it has received continuously since 2004.
Below is the evolution of European public funding received by the EDP.
In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the EDP also raises private funds to co-finance its activities. As of 2025, European parties must raise at least 10% of their reimbursable expenditure from private sources, while the rest can be covered using European public funding.
Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by the EDP.