Renew Europe

Not to be confused with EU Project Renew.

Renew Europe (Renew) is a liberal, pro-European political group of the European Parliament founded for the ninth European Parliament term.^[9] The group is the successor to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group which existed during the sixth, seventh and eighth terms from 2004 to 2019, and under a variety of other names in earlier Parliaments. Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions is the sister group of Renew Europe.

Renew Europe
European Parliament group
Name	Renew Europe
English abbr.	Renew[1]
Formal name	Renew Europe group[2]
Ideology	Liberalism[3] Social liberalism[4] Conservative liberalism[4] Pro-Europeanism
Political position	Centre[5] to centre-right[8]
European parties	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party European Democratic Party European People's Party (PMP)
Associated organisations	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe L’Europe Ensemble Liberal International
From	20 June 2019
Preceded by	ALDE Group
Chaired by	Valérie Hayer
MEP(s)	77 / 720
Website	reneweuropegroup.eu

History

In May 2019, speaking at a debate leading up to the 2019 European Parliament election, Guy Verhofstadt, president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group, announced that, following the election, the ALDE Group intended to dissolve and form a new alliance with French President Emmanuel Macron's "Renaissance" electoral list.^[10] During and following the European elections, the group temporarily styled itself "ALDE plus Renaissance plus USR PLUS".^[11]

The new group announced the adoption of its name on 12 June 2019 after it formed an alliance with La République En Marche!. En Marche wanted to avoid the word liberal in the name, though the group continues to also be referred to as the Liberal Group outside of France.^[12][13]

On 19 June 2019, it was announced that Dacian Cioloș, former Prime Minister of Romania and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, had been chosen as the group's inaugural chairman, defeating Sophie in 't Veld by 64 votes to 42 and thus becoming the first Romanian to become the leader of a European Parliamentary group.^[14] In October 2021, Cioloș resigned to return to domestic politics in Romania.^[15]

Following the resignation of Dacian Cioloş, Stéphane Séjourné announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament and, as he ran unopposed, he was elected by acclamation on 19 October 2021.^[16] On 11 January 2024, Séjourné was appointed minister of Europe and foreign affairs in Gabriel Attal's government and therefore resigned from his position as chair of the Renew group.

On 25 January 2024, Valérie Hayer from French Renaissance party was elected by acclamation as leader of Renew Europe parliament group, as she ran unopposed.^[17][18]

In March 2024, 'New Europeans' was founded as an association under French law, bringing together Macron's Renaissance party and other French, Romanian, Slovenian, Polish and Danish parties that are inside Renew Europe, but that are not affiliated with a European party (ALDE or EDP), for a total of 22 MEPs.^[19]

Renew Europe presented three lead candidates for the 2024 European Parliament election, one for each of the three factions that form the joint group: ALDE (Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann), EDP (Sandro Gozi) and L'Europe Ensemble (Valérie Hayer).^[20]

MEPs

10th European Parliament

Main article: List of members of the European Parliament (2024–2029)

State	National party	European party		MEPs[21]
Austria	NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum NEOS – Das Neue Österreich und Liberales Forum (NEOS)		ALDE Party	2 / 20
Belgium	Reformist Movement Mouvement Réformateur (MR)		ALDE Party	3 / 22
	Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (Open VLD)		ALDE Party	1 / 22
	The Committed Ones Les Engagés (LE)		EDP	1 / 22
Bulgaria	Movement for Rights and Freedoms Dviženie za prava i svobodi (DPS) Dvizhenie za prava i svobodi (DPS)		ALDE Party	3 / 17
	We Continue the Change Prodalzhavame promyanata (PP)		None	2 / 17
Denmark	Venstre, Denmark's Liberal Party Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti (V)		ALDE Party	2 / 15
	Danish Social Liberal Party Radikale Venstre (B)		ALDE Party	1 / 15
	Moderates Moderaterne (M)		None	1 / 15
Estonia	Estonian Reform Party Eesti Reformierakond (RE)		ALDE Party	1 / 7
	Estonian Centre Party Eesti Keskerakond (K)		ALDE Party	1 / 7
Finland	Centre Party Suomen Keskusta (Kesk) Centern i Finland (Centern)		ALDE Party	2 / 15
	Swedish People's Party Svenska folkpartiet i Finland (SFP) Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue (RKP)		ALDE Party	1 / 15
France	Renaissance Renaissance (RE)		None	6 / 81
	Democratic Movement Mouvement démocrate (MoDem)		EDP	3 / 81
	Horizons Horizons		None	2 / 81
	Union of Democrats and Independents Union des démocrates et indépendants (UDI)		ALDE Party	1 / 81
	Italia Viva[lower-alpha 1] Italia Viva		EDP	1 / 81
Germany	Free Democratic Party Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP)		ALDE Party	5 / 96
	Free Voters Freie Wähler (FW)		EDP	3 / 96
Ireland	Fianna Fáil (FF)		ALDE Party	4 / 14
	Independent Ireland (II)		EDP	1 / 14
	Independent Michael McNamara		Independent	1 / 14
Latvia	For Latvia's Development Latvijas attīstībai (LA)		ALDE Party	1 / 9
Lithuania	Liberals' Movement Lietuvos Respublikos Liberalų sąjūdis (LRLS)		ALDE Party	1 / 11
	Freedom Party Laisvės partija (LP)		ALDE Party	1 / 11
Luxembourg	Democratic Party Demokratesch Partei (DP) Parti Démocratique (PD) Demokratische Partei (DP)		ALDE Party	1 / 6
Netherlands	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)		ALDE Party	4 / 31
	Democrats 66 Democraten 66 (D66)		ALDE Party	3 / 31
Poland	Poland 2050 Polska 2050 (PL2050)		None	1 / 53
Portugal	Liberal Initiative Iniciativa Liberal (IL)		ALDE Party	2 / 21
Romania	Save Romania Union Uniunea Salvați România (USR)		ALDE Party	2 / 33
	People's Movement Party Partidul Mișcarea Populară (PMP)		EPP	1 / 33
Slovakia	Progressive Slovakia Progresívne Slovensko (PS)		ALDE Party	6 / 15
Slovenia	Freedom Movement Gibanje Svoboda (GS)		None	2 / 9
Spain	Basque Nationalist Party Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea (EAJ) Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV) Parti national basque (PNB)		EDP	1 / 61
Sweden	Centre Party Centerpartiet (C)		ALDE Party	2 / 21
	Liberals Liberalerna (L)		ALDE Party	1 / 21
European Union	Total			77 / 720

9th European Parliament

Main article: List of members of the European Parliament (2019–2024)

Renew Europe has MEPs in 24 member states. Yellow indicates member states sending multiple MEPs, light yellow indicates member states sending a single MEP.

State	National party	European party		MEPs[22]
Austria	NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum NEOS – Das Neue Österreich und Liberales Forum (NEOS)		ALDE Party	1 / 19
Belgium	Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (Open VLD)		ALDE Party	2 / 21
	Reformist Movement Mouvement Réformateur (MR)		ALDE Party	2 / 21
Bulgaria	Movement for Rights and Freedoms Dviženie za prava i svobodi (DPS) Dvizhenie za prava i svobodi (DPS)		ALDE Party	3 / 17
Croatia	Istrian Democratic Assembly Istarski demokratski sabor (IDS)		ALDE Party	1 / 12
Czech Republic	ANO 2011 ANO 2011 (ANO)		ALDE Party	5 / 21
Denmark	Venstre, Denmark's Liberal Party Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti (V)		ALDE Party	3 / 14
	Danish Social Liberal Party Radikale Venstre (B)		ALDE Party	1 / 14
	Moderates Moderaterne (M)		None	1 / 14
	Independent Karen Melchior		Independent	1 / 14
Estonia	Estonian Reform Party Eesti Reformierakond (RE)		ALDE Party	2 / 7
	Estonian Centre Party Eesti Keskerakond (K)		ALDE Party	1 / 7
Finland	Centre Party Suomen Keskusta (Kesk) Centern i Finland (Centern)		ALDE Party	2 / 14
	Swedish People's Party Svenska folkpartiet i Finland (SFP) Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue (RKP)		ALDE Party	1 / 14
France	Renaissance Renaissance (RE)		None	13 / 79
	Democratic Movement Mouvement démocrate (MoDem)		EDP	6 / 79
	Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party Parti républicain, radical et radical-socialiste (PR)		ALDE Party	1 / 79
	Horizons Horizons		None	1 / 79
	Cap Ecology Cap écologie (CE)		None	1 / 79
	Independent Jérémy Decerle		Independent	1 / 79
Germany	Free Democratic Party Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP)		ALDE Party	5 / 96
	Free Voters Freie Wähler (FW)		EDP	2 / 96
Greece	Independent Giorgos Kyrtsos		Independent	1 / 21
Hungary	Momentum Movement Momentum Mozgalom (Momentum)		ALDE Party	2 / 21
Ireland	Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach (FF)		ALDE Party	2 / 13
Italy	Action Azione		ALDE Party	2 / 76
	Italia Viva Italia Viva		EDP	1 / 76
	Independent Marco Zullo		Independent	1 / 76
Latvia	Development/For! Attīstībai/Par! (AP!)		ALDE Party	1 / 8
Lithuania	Liberals' Movement Lietuvos Respublikos Liberalų sąjūdis (LRLS)		ALDE Party	1 / 11
Luxembourg	Democratic Party Demokratesch Partei (DP) Parti Démocratique (PD) Demokratische Partei (DP)		ALDE Party	1 / 6
	Independent Monica Semedo		Independent	1 / 6
Netherlands	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)		ALDE Party	5 / 29
	Democrats 66 Democraten 66 (D66)		ALDE Party	1 / 29
	Volt Netherlands Volt Nederland (Volt)		Volt Europa	1 / 29
Poland	Szymon Hołownia's Poland 2050 Polska 2050 Szymona Hołowni (PL2050)		None	1 / 51
Romania	Renewing Romania's European Project Reînnoim Proiectul European al României (REPER)		None	5 / 33
	Save Romania Union Uniunea Salvați România (USR)		ALDE Party	2 / 33
Slovakia	Progressive Slovakia Progresívne Slovensko (PS)		ALDE Party	3 / 14
	Apple Jablko		None	1 / 14
Slovenia	Freedom Movement Gibanje Svoboda (GS)		None	1 / 8
	Greens of Slovenia Zeleni Slovenije (ZS)		None	1 / 8
Spain	Citizens Ciudadanos (Cs)		ALDE Party	7 / 59
	Basque Nationalist Party Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea (EAJ) Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV) Parti national basque (PNB)		EDP	1 / 59
	Independent Javier Nart		Independent	1 / 59
Sweden	Centre Party Centerpartiet (C)		ALDE Party	2 / 20
	Liberals Liberalerna (L)		ALDE Party	1 / 20
European Union	Total			102 / 705

Former members

• The UK MEPs of the Liberal Democrats and the Alliance Party de facto left the group on 31 January 2020 when the UK left the EU.

Country	National party	European party		MEPs
United Kingdom	Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems)		ALDE Party	16 / 70
	Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)		ALDE Party	1 / 3

• On 20 January 2021, the Renew Europe Group terminated the membership of Viktor Uspaskich, MEP of the Lithuanian Labour Party.
• In March 2021, Czech MEP Radka Maxová left the Renew Europe group because of disagreement with ANO 2011.

Resignation and replacement

• Fredrick Federley, MEP of the Swedish Centre Party, resigned on 11 December 2020 from all politics immediately.
• In August 2022, Søren Gade, MEP from Venstre, announced that he would stand in the upcoming general election. It was later announced that Bergur Løkke Rasmussen would replace him in the European Parliament.^[23] On 13 March 2023, he announced that he would switch his party affiliation to the Moderates.^[24][25]

New members

• In February 2020, Nicola Danti leaves the S&D group and joins Renew Europe.
• In March 2021, Marco Zullo, elected among the Five Star Movement (independent) leaves his party and joins Renew Europe.
• In May 2021, Lucia Nicholsonová, from Slovakia, then Independent at the national level but having been part of the European Conservatives and Reformists, leaves this group and joins Renew Europe.^[26]
• On 10 November 2021, Renew Europe's president Stéphane Séjourné announces that the Polish political party Poland 2050 has joined Renew Europe, leading to Róża Thun joining the group.^[27]
• On 17 November 2021, Carlo Calenda joins Renew Europe following the accession of his party, Azione. Renew Europe reaches 100 MEPs.
• On 7 December 2021, Michal Wiezik leaves the EPP and joins Renew Europe following his transfer to Progressive Slovakia.^[28]
• On 8 March 2022, Salima Yenbou, a French MEP from Europe Ecology – The Greens, leaves The Greens and joins Renew Europe after endorsing Emmanuel Macron in the run-up to the French presidential election.^[29]
• On 4 May 2022, Greek MEP Giorgos Kyrtsos leaves the EPP and joins Renew Europe.^[30][31]

Leadership

• President: Valérie Hayer (France)
• First Vice-President: Billy Kelleher (Ireland)
• Vice-Presidents: Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Netherlands), João Cotrim de Figueiredo (Portugal), Irena Jovena (Slovenia), Ivars Ijabs (Latvia), Morten Løkkegaard (Denmark), Dan Barna (Romania), Anna-Maja Henriksson (Finland)
• Secretary General: Philip Drauz

International cooperation

On 21 January 2022, representatives of Renew Europe held a meeting with the European Party of Armenia.^[32]

Notes

1. Sandro Gozi, a member of the Italian party, serves as an MEP for France and was elected as a candidate for the Ensemble coalition

References

1. "Browse table". European Parliament. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
2. "Parliament's seven political groups | News | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. 7 February 2019.
3. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "European Union". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
4. Slomp, Hans (26 September 2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
5. "20 MEPs to watch in 2020". POLITICO.eu. 13 January 2020. The European Parliament is younger, more diverse — and more divided ... Macron's baby in the Parliament: the centrist Renew Europe group.
6. Bourgery-Gonse, Théo (27 April 2023). "New EU debt rules welcome, but tensions simmer on Germany's new 'benchmarks'". Euractiv. Retrieved 10 June 2024. This split of minds between the French and the Germans might play out concretely within the centre-right Renew group in the European Parliament.
7. Collins, Sarah (30 April 2021). "Ireland set to lose €200m in fight for share of the EU's Brexit fund". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
8. ^[6][7]
9. "Renew Europe. – News – ALDE". alde.eu. 13 June 2019.
10. "Frenzy in Firenze: 4 takeaways from EU lead candidate debate". Politico. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
11. Eder, Florian (27 May 2019). "ALDE 2.0 deals blow to Weber's Commission dream". Politico.
12. Baume, Maïa de La (12 June 2019). "Macron-Liberal alliance to be named Renew Europe". Politico. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
13. "[Ticker] Liberal Alde rename themselves 'Renew Europe'". EUobserver. 12 June 2019.
14. Herszenhorn, David; Baume, Maïa de La (19 June 2019). "Ex-Romanian prime minister to lead centrist Renew Europe group". POLITICO. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
15. "French supremacy fears loom over Renew Europe leadership search". POLITICO. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
16. Maïa de La Baume (19 October 2021),  Politico Europe
17. "French MEP Valérie Hayer elected president of liberal group Renew Europe". euronews. 25 January 2024.
18. "French Renew MEP Valérie Hayer on course to lead European Parliament's third-largest faction". Politico Europe. 24 January 2024.
19. "Macron forms 'New Europeans' club to unite fragmented EU liberals". Politico Europe. 21 March 2024.
20. "EU elections: The Trio that will enter the ring for the Liberals". Euractiv. 20 March 2024.
21. "MEPs by Member State and political group". Retrieved 17 July 2024.
22. "MEPs by Member State and political group". Retrieved 9 December 2022.
23. "Skiftedag i Bruxelles: Bergur Løkke tager over for Søren Gade | Nyheder". ugeavisen (in Danish). 3 November 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
24. "Bergur Løkke Rasmussen skifter Venstre ud med Moderaterne | Nyheder". dr.dk (in Danish). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
25. "Løkkes søn skifter til Moderaterne | Nyheder". tv2.dk (in Danish). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
26. "Slovak MEP Ďuriš Nicholsonová changes factions", rtvs.sk, 2021-09-05
27. "Press conference by Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Renew Europe President, on the enlargement of the group", Multimedia Centre, 2021-11-10
28. "Le député européen Michal Wiezik rejoint le groupe Renew Europe," Renew Europe, 7 December 2021
29. Sophie Bordier, "Seine-et-Marne : la députée européenne Salima Yenbou s'éloigne des écologistes et se rapproche des macronistes," Le Parisien, 12 March 2022
30. "Νέα Δημοκρατία: Πώς η αλλαγή «ευρωομάδας» από τον Γιώργο Κύρτσο δημιουργεί πολιτικές εξελίξεις," ΤΟ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΙ, 5 May 2022
31. "Μέλος της πολιτικής ομάδας Renew Europe ο Γιώργος Κύρτσος," Documento, 4 May 2022
32. European Party of Armenia [@ArmEuroParty] (21 January 2022). "European Party of Armenia holds meeting with Renew Europe" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 January 2022 – via Twitter.

External links

• Official website
• Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions