The European Green Party (EGP), also referred to as European Greens, is a European political party composed of national parties from across Europe who share Green values.
The European Greens works closely with the Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) parliamentary group in the European Parliament which is formed by elected Green party members along with the European Free Alliance, European Pirate Party and Volt Europa. The European Greens' partners include its youth wing the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), the Green European Foundation (GEF) and the Global Greens family.
Green parties participate in the government of one country in Europe: Spain (Catalunya en Comú/Sumar). They also externally support the government in Poland (Zieloni/Civic Coalition).
Contents
Ideology and positions
The European Greens have committed themselves to the basic tenets of Green politics as seen across Western Europe, namely environmental responsibility, climate action, individual freedom, inclusive democracy, diversity, social justice, gender equality, global sustainable development and non-violence.
The European Greens was the first party to form out of various national movements to become a European entity, committed to the integration of Europe. The party aims to amplify the views of member parties by having common policy positions, mutual election manifestos, and cohesive European election campaigns. The European Greens also has networks which brings Green politicians together, such as the Local Councillors Network.
Charter
According to its charter, the European Greens is working towards a just and sustainable transition towards societies "respectful of human rights and built upon the values of environmental responsibility, freedom, justice, diversity and non-violence". The charter's guiding principles provide a framework for the political actions taken by member parties.
The priorities outlined in the charter include protecting human health and wellbeing, maintaining biological diversity, combatting global warming, transitioning to a just and sustainable economy, strengthening inclusive democracies, safeguarding diversity, and ensuring social justice.
History
Green politics in Europe emerged from several grassroots political movements, including the peace movements, the ecology movement and movements for women's rights.
The anti-nuclear movement in Germany first had political expression as Vereinigung Die Grünen, which formed in March 1979, and established itself as a party for the European Parliament in January 1980. Similarly, activists in Britain's Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament had formed the Ecology Party in 1975. However, it also brought in ecological movements, which had become active across Western European nations in the 1970s. Environmental groups became especially political after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, which strengthened groups such as the Italian Green Party. In the Netherlands, feminists dominated GroenLinks party. Elements of all these national parties would go on to form the European Green Party.
Representatives from these and other parties sat in the European Parliament after the 1984 European Parliament election. The following 11 members of this grouping, which was briefly known as the Rainbow Group, came from parties which went on to be part of the European Greens:
1 Agalev MEP and 1 Ecolo MEP from Belgium
1 Pacifist Socialist MEP and 1 Radicals MEP from the Netherlands
7 Grünen MEPs from Germany
The European Green Party itself was officially founded at the 4th Congress of the European Federation of Green Parties on 20–22 February 2004 in Rome. At the convention, 32 green parties from across Europe joined the new European political party. As such, the European Greens became a trans-national party, and the very first European political party.
In the 2004 European Parliament election, member parties won 35 seats, and the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament secured 43 in total.
In the 2009 European Parliament election, even though the European Parliament was reduced in size, the European Greens' member parties won 46 seats, the best result of the Green Parties in 30 years. The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament secured 55 seats in total.
Organisational structure
The European Green Party is a European political party, constituted out of political parties from European countries. Parties can also become associate members. Members of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament not belonging to a member party can be admitted as a special member with speaking rights but no vote.
The governing bodies of the EGP are the Council and the Committee.
The Council takes place twice a year and is the main decision-making body of the European Greens and consists of delegates of member parties. During Councils, delegates from European Greens parties set a common political direction, linked to the development of the European project and its values. They do so by debating and vote on resolutions on key issues in Europe. Delegates are allotted based on their most recent European or national election results. Each party has at least two delegates. consists of delegates of member parties. These are allotted on the basis of their most recent European or national election results. Each party has at least two delegates.
The Committee consists of thirteen members, including two Co-Chairs (one man and one woman), a Secretary General a Treasurer and a representative from FYEG. They are responsible for daily political affairs, execution of the Council's decisions and the activities of the EGP office and staff. Co-Chairs Ciarán Cuffe and Vula Tsetsi, Secretary General Benedetta De Marte, Treasurer Marc Gimenez, Christina Kessler from FYEG and Committee Members Rasmus Nordqvist, Sibylle Steffan, Marina Verronneau, Marieke van Doorninck, Jelena Miloš, Elīna Pinto, Rui Tavares, and Joanna Kamińska were elected at the 39th European Green Party in Dublin, Eire. The EGP has had several Co-Chairs.
Co-chairs of the European Greens
The Congress is an enlarged meeting of the Council which is convened by the Council at least once every 5 years and hosts more delegates.
Networks
The EGP hosts a collection of networks that have specific special interest focus, including:
Balkan Network
Mediterranean Network
Gender Network
European Queer Greens
Local Councillors Networks
European Green Disability Network
European Network of Green Seniors
Partnerships
Federation of Young European Greens
Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament
Global Greens
Green European Foundation
Membership
Individual members
The EGP 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 EGP since 2019.
Individual membersIndividual members of European political parties01020304050602019202020212022202320242025EGP.mw-chart-5f0b7e0969e6964b10c90f88823408282b8adb15efe17b5d0091e35c662633c6792eb2b700c9508474e141aedd7c2240e219308a90224855d979d1dca5c335f6__zr670700-cls-3460692:hover{pointer-events:none}.mw-chart-5f0b7e0969e6964b10c90f88823408282b8adb15efe17b5d0091e35c662633c6792eb2b700c9508474e141aedd7c2240e219308a90224855d979d1dca5c335f6__zr670700-cls-3460693:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(0,0,0,1)}.mw-chart-5f0b7e0969e6964b10c90f88823408282b8adb15efe17b5d0091e35c662633c6792eb2b700c9508474e141aedd7c2240e219308a90224855d979d1dca5c335f6__zr670700-cls-3460694:hover{cursor:pointer}.mw-chart-5f0b7e0969e6964b10c90f88823408282b8adb15efe17b5d0091e35c662633c6792eb2b700c9508474e141aedd7c2240e219308a90224855d979d1dca5c335f6__zr670700-cls-3460695:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(82,130,235,1)}.mw-chart-5f0b7e0969e6964b10c90f88823408282b8adb15efe17b5d0091e35c662633c6792eb2b700c9508474e141aedd7c2240e219308a90224855d979d1dca5c335f6__zr670700-cls-3460696:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(0,0,0,0)}
Funding
As a registered European political party, the EGP is entitled to European public funding, which it has received continuously since 2004.
Below is the evolution of European public funding received by the EGP.
Amount (€)Year01,000,0002,000,0003,000,0004,000,0005,000,0002004200720102013201620192022Maximum amounts of public fundingAmounts of public funding actually receivedEuropean public funding of European political parties.mw-chart-a21a76e81786389c8174be299566e55cbb992fbc7813dd20222574f32cce7f68bdf4adf90e15cc8bcf9ba63995e266ea3bbc8b52fb462a1a122c4d80f598524b__zr669482-cls-3452202:hover{pointer-events:none}.mw-chart-a21a76e81786389c8174be299566e55cbb992fbc7813dd20222574f32cce7f68bdf4adf90e15cc8bcf9ba63995e266ea3bbc8b52fb462a1a122c4d80f598524b__zr669482-cls-3452203:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(0,0,0,1)}.mw-chart-a21a76e81786389c8174be299566e55cbb992fbc7813dd20222574f32cce7f68bdf4adf90e15cc8bcf9ba63995e266ea3bbc8b52fb462a1a122c4d80f598524b__zr669482-cls-3452204:hover{cursor:pointer}.mw-chart-a21a76e81786389c8174be299566e55cbb992fbc7813dd20222574f32cce7f68bdf4adf90e15cc8bcf9ba63995e266ea3bbc8b52fb462a1a122c4d80f598524b__zr669482-cls-3452205:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(82,130,235,1)}.mw-chart-a21a76e81786389c8174be299566e55cbb992fbc7813dd20222574f32cce7f68bdf4adf90e15cc8bcf9ba63995e266ea3bbc8b52fb462a1a122c4d80f598524b__zr669482-cls-3452206:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(255,199,56,1)}.mw-chart-a21a76e81786389c8174be299566e55cbb992fbc7813dd20222574f32cce7f68bdf4adf90e15cc8bcf9ba63995e266ea3bbc8b52fb462a1a122c4d80f598524b__zr669482-cls-3452207:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(0,0,0,0)}
In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the EGP 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 EGP.
Amount (€)Year0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000200420082012201620202024EGPContributions raised by European political parties.mw-chart-0f3a0883e25f9ebdbb0e0fd49b25ea9d46e19aac8f6c2d3809a71a4071faa20734f57e00c47e6e1abad9995344ab4c5036456aca47f9d7c77cc3c97bfafd3102__zr669483-cls-3452208:hover{pointer-events:none}.mw-chart-0f3a0883e25f9ebdbb0e0fd49b25ea9d46e19aac8f6c2d3809a71a4071faa20734f57e00c47e6e1abad9995344ab4c5036456aca47f9d7c77cc3c97bfafd3102__zr669483-cls-3452209:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(0,0,0,1)}.mw-chart-0f3a0883e25f9ebdbb0e0fd49b25ea9d46e19aac8f6c2d3809a71a4071faa20734f57e00c47e6e1abad9995344ab4c5036456aca47f9d7c77cc3c97bfafd3102__zr669483-cls-3452210:hover{cursor:pointer}.mw-chart-0f3a0883e25f9ebdbb0e0fd49b25ea9d46e19aac8f6c2d3809a71a4071faa20734f57e00c47e6e1abad9995344ab4c5036456aca47f9d7c77cc3c97bfafd3102__zr669483-cls-3452211:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(82,130,235,1)}.mw-chart-0f3a0883e25f9ebdbb0e0fd49b25ea9d46e19aac8f6c2d3809a71a4071faa20734f57e00c47e6e1abad9995344ab4c5036456aca47f9d7c77cc3c97bfafd3102__zr669483-cls-3452212:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(0,0,0,0)}
Electoral standing and political representation
The table below shows the results of the Greens in each election to the European Parliament, in terms of seats and votes. It also shows how many European Commissioners the European Greens have, and who led the parliamentary group. It also lists how the Green parliamentary group and supra-national organisations was named and what European parliamentary group they joined.