European Conservatives form new group
The British Conservatives, Polish Law and Justice party and Czech Civic Democrats (ODS) have succeeded in their ambition to form a new centre-right Eurosceptic alliance.
It was announced this morning that the ‘European Conservatives and Reformists Group’ will comprise 55 members as an ‘initial core’ - but that founding members hope to attract other MEPs in the near future, possibly even before the Parliament convenes for its constituent session on 14 July.
As well as the three major parties in the group, there will also be members from the Centre Party (Finland - one member will join ECR, the others remaining in ALDE), Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF - one member), For Fatherland and Freedom (TB/LNNK, Latvia - one member), Christian Union (the Netherlands - one member), and List Dedecker (Belgium - one member).
All members have signed up to the ‘Prague Declaration’, which argues for reform and a non-federalist future for the EU.
The birth of this Group was somewhat difficult - but has finally been achieved. Question marks will still be raised about some of the participants: some more Europhile and liberal British Conservatives may be concerned about the socially conservative attitudes of some members, or about attitudes to climate change. The Group may also face difficulties in the future - for example, in its current formation, it could take the resignation of just two members to force the group to collapse.
However, now it has been formed, the ECR will look to add members and to consolidate a position as the fourth-largest group in the EP.
David O’Leary
UPDATE: Text of the Prague Declaration
“CONSCIOUS OF THE URGENT NEED TO REFORM THE EU ON THE BASIS OF EUROREALISM, OPENNESS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEMOCRACY, IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS THE SOVEREIGNTY OF OUR NATIONS AND CONCENTRATES ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY, GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS, THE EUROPEAN CONSERVATIVES AND REFORMISTS GROUP SHARES THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES:
1. Free enterprise, free and fair trade and competition, minimal regulation, lower taxation, and small government as the ultimate catalysts for individual freedom and personal and national prosperity.
2. Freedom of the individual, more personal responsibility and greater democratic accountability.
3. Sustainable, clean energy supply with an emphasis on energy security.
4. The importance of the family as the bedrock of society.
5. The sovereign integrity of the nation state, opposition to EU federalism and a renewed respect for true subsidiarity.
6. The overriding value of the transatlantic security relationship in a revitalised NATO, and support for young democracies across Europe.
7. Effectively controlled immigration and an end to abuse of asylum procedures.
8. Efficient and modern public services and sensitivity to the needs of both rural and urban communities.
9. An end to waste and excessive bureaucracy and a commitment to greater transparency and probity in the EU institutions and use of EU funds.
10. Respect and equitable treatment for all EU countries, new and old, large and small.”