Europe of Freedom and Democracy

{{Short description|Former far-right political group of the European Parliament}}

{{Infobox European Parliament group

| name = Europe of Freedom and Democracy{{cite news|last=Willis|first=Andrew|title=New eurosceptic group to campaign against EU treaty in Irish referendum|url=http://euobserver.com/9/28403|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=EU Observer|date=1 July 2009}}{{cite news|title=UKIP forms new Eurosceptic group|publisher=BBC|date=1 July 2009}}

| title = Europe of Freedom and Democracy

| image = Europe of Freedom and Democracy logo.png

| imagewidth = 150px

| from = 1 July 2009 (de facto){{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Leigh|title=Ukip, Lega Nord form hard-right bloc in EU Parliament|url=http://euobserver.com/843/28394|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=EU Observer|date=30 June 2009}}

| to = 24 June 2014

| precededby = Independence/Democracy

| succeededby = Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy

| englishabbr = EFD

| frenchabbr = ELD

| europarties = Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy

| formalname = Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group

| ideology = {{ubl|

|Euroscepticism{{cite book|author=Andreas Staab|title=The European Union Explained, Second Edition: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gePMlsVzZI0C&pg=PA67|year=2011|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-253-00164-1|page=67}}{{cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html|title=European Union|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|year=2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207031003/http://parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html|archive-date=7 December 2013|url-status=dead}}

|National conservatism

|Conservatism{{cite news |title=[Investigation] Far-right MEPs least disciplined in following party line |url=https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/158134 |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=EUobserver |date=26 February 2024 |language=en}}

|Right-wing populism{{cite news |last1=Alessi |first1=Christopher |title=Populist Bloc Fails to Change Agenda in European Politics |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/populist-bloc-fails-to-change-agenda-in-european-politics-a-934268.html |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=Der Spiegel |date=18 November 2013 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Müller |first1=Manuel |title=After the European elections |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/after-the-european-elections/ |website=Green European Journal |access-date=7 April 2024 |date=27 May 2014}}

|Nationalism

|Anti-immigration}}

| position = Right-wing to far-right

| chairs = Nigel Farage (UKIP)
Francesco Speroni (LN)

| meps = 34

| website = {{url|https://web.archive.org/web/20120319115926/http://www.efdgroup.eu/|efdgroup.eu}} (archived URL)

}}

Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) was a far-right,[http://www.euractiv.com/eu-elections/far-right-meps-form-group-europe-news-222083 Far-right MEPs form group in European Parliament], euractiv.comRoy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: The Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, p. 170, Rowman & Littlefield, 2010, {{ISBN|0742566927}}Rob Ford, Matthew J. Goodwin, Voting for Extremists, passim, Taylor & Francis, {{ISBN|041569051X}}{{Citation |last1=Kietz |first1=Daniela |title=Eurosceptics in the European Parliament: Isolated and Divided in Brussels but Driving National Debates |date=February 2014 |number=13 |page=2 |url=http://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/comments/2014C13_ktz_orz.pdf |series=SWP Comments |publisher=German Institute for International and Security Affairs |last2=von Ondarza |first2=Nicolai}} Eurosceptic political group that operated in the European Parliament from 2009 to 2014.{{cite book|author1=John Peterson|author2=Michael Shackleton|title=The Institutions of the European Union|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oaD01PaTFE0C&pg=PA341|access-date=7 August 2013|year=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-957498-8|page=341}}{{cite book|author=Marie-Claire Considère-Charon|chapter=Irish MEPs in an enlarged Europe|editor=Christophe Gillissen|title=Ireland: Looking East|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QoKaFhA-unwC&pg=PA158|year=2010|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=978-90-5201-652-8|page=158}}{{cite book|author=Paul T. Levin|chapter=Appendix|title=Turkey and the European Union: Christian and Secular Images of Islam|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LbzGAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|year=2011|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-0-230-11957-4|page=205}}{{cite book|author1=Nicholas Aylott|author2=Magnus Blomgren|author3=Torbjorn Bergman|title=Political Parties in Multi-Level Polities: The Nordic Countries Compared|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x01TOSef5b4C&pg=PA66|year=2013|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1-137-31554-0|pages=66}} It was composed of 34 MEPs and it existed during the European Parliament's 7th and 8th terms. After 2011, EFD had a loose relationship with the Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy political party.

Ideologically, EFD was strongly opposed to European integration, conservative, and right-wing populist.{{cite book |author=Giovanni Moro |title=The Single Currency and European Citizenship: Unveiling the Other Side of The Coin |publisher=A&C Black |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-62356-095-9 |editor=Giovanni Moro |page=253 |chapter=Conclusions: the way forward |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fmpVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA253}} Its members included parties such as the UK Independence Party and Lega Nord. Founded as a merger of the Independence/Democracy (IND/DEM) and Union for Europe of the Nations after the 2009 European Parliament election, EFD was more nationalistic and strongly opposed to immigration than its main predecessor, IND/DEM.{{cite book |author1=David Phinnemore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m9EB7e8pgywC&pg=PA189 |title=A Dictionary of the European Union |author2=Lee McGowan |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-135-08127-0 |page=189}} In the aftermath of the 2014 European Parliament election, EFD became the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group, though only two EFD parties continued their membership in the EFDD.

History

=Formation=

Following the 2009 European Parliament elections, the Independence/Democracy (IND/DEM) and Union for a Europe of Nations (UEN), two political groups of the European Parliament, were in trouble. The UK Independence Party (UKIP) component of IND/DEM had done well, but the other parties of this group fared very poorly. UEN had also lost MEPs and both groups had fallen under the threshold required for a group to exist.{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+RULES-EP+20090714+RULE-030+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN&navigationBar=YES|title=Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, 7th parliamentary term – July 2009, Rule 30: Formation of political groups|date=1 July 2009|publisher=European Parliament|access-date=2 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+RULES-EP+20090309+RULE-029+DOC+XML+V0//EN&navigationBar=YES|title=Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, 16th edition – March 2009, Rule 29: Formation of political groups|date=6 April 2009|publisher=European Parliament|access-date=2 March 2016}} The remnants of both groups needed to find a new group before the constitutive session of the 7th European Parliament on 14 July 2009.

Speculation regarding the new group surfaced on 30 June 2009. The name of the group was originally speculated as A Europe of Free Peoples,{{cite web|url=http://www.ilsussidiario.net/articolo.aspx?articolo=28922|title="UE/ Lega Nord nel nuovo gruppo di destra euroscettica"], 30 June 2009}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} or A Europe of Peoples for Liberty, or a phrase involving the word Independence or Freedom{{cite web|url=http://www.nd.se/ni/visa/default.asp?notisID=6432|title="EU-kritisk grupp i EU"], 30 June 2009}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} or Democracy or People. In the absence of an official name, the nascent group was given the placeholder name of Liberty. On 1 July 2009 a press conference was held launching the group.[http://indemgroup.eu/32/news/556/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=913b16272c "EU-Critical Group in European Parliament launches"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907202723/http://indemgroup.eu/32/news/556/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=913b16272c |date=7 September 2009 }}, 1 July 2009, from [http://indemgroup.eu http://indemgroup.eu] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302145232/http://indemgroup.eu/ |date=2 March 2008 }} That press conference named the group Europe of Freedom and Democracy.

Andreas Mölzer, the leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) European Parliament list, announced in July 2009 that FPÖ and EFD were in negotiations over FPÖ joining the group; each side had reservations about the other,{{cite news |title=EU-Rechtsaußen-Fraktion hat Vorbehalte gegen FPÖ |url=http://derstandard.at/1246541337835/EU-Rechtsaussen-Fraktion-hat-Vorbehalte-gegen-FPOe |newspaper=Der Standard |date=3 July 2009 |access-date=9 July 2011}} with UKIP, the Reformed Political Party (SGP) of the Netherlands, and the Slovak National Party (SNS) each uneasy about the inclusion of the FPÖ.{{cite news |title=FPÖ dürfte nicht in Rechtsaußenfraktion landen |url=http://derstandard.at/1246541678390/EU-Parlament-FPOe-duerfte-nicht-in-Rechtsaussenfraktion-landen |newspaper=Der Standard |date=8 July 2009 |access-date=9 July 2011}} In June 2011, the FPÖ tried again to have its two MEPs join the faction, but was again denied, being opposed by five or six of the nine parties in the EFD.{{cite news |title=EFD-Fraktion: Veto gegen FPÖ-Aufnahme |url=http://derstandard.at/1304554170753/EU-Parlament-EFD-Fraktion-Veto-gegen-FPOe-Aufnahme |newspaper=Der Standard |date=10 June 2011 |access-date=9 July 2011}} EFD was positioned by scholars as a right-wing{{Citation |author=Gilles Ivaldi |title=The Populist Radical Right in European Elections 1979–2009 |work=The Extreme Right in Europe: Current Trends and Perspectives |page=19 |year=2011 |publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprect}}{{Citation |author1=Thomas Jansen |title=At Europe's Service: The Origins and Evolution of the European People's Party |page=229 |year=2011 |publisher=Springer |author2=Steven Van Hecke}} and far-right.

=Defections=

In March 2010 it was announced that MEP Nikki Sinclaire had had the UKIP whip withdrawn.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8550698.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Rebel Euro MP is expelled by UKIP | date=4 March 2010 | access-date=2 May 2010}} Sinclaire had refused to join the EFD on the grounds that it was a grouping with "extreme views" and consequently had not sat with her UKIP colleagues in the European parliament. In June 2010 MEP Mike Nattrass also left the EFD, albeit on other grounds than Sinclaire, stating that "I don't share the same principles of some of the Group, on balance, the majority of the Group want to stay in the EU and I've always believed that we should leave." Nattrass later rejoined the group in December 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.neurope.eu/articles/101621.php |title=Archived copy |access-date=12 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110319191202/http://www.neurope.eu/articles/101621.php |archive-date=19 March 2011 }} In March 2011 MEP Trevor Colman left the EFD, allegedly due to an "unresolved dispute over financial and staffing issues." However Colman continued to represent UKIP as a Non-Attached MEP.{{cite news|title=Colman Quits EFD|url=http://www.eureporter.co/2011/3/colman-quits-efd/|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=EU Reported|date=30 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310162745/http://www.eureporter.co/2011/3/colman-quits-efd/|archive-date=10 March 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Mike NATTRASS|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28506/Mike_NATTRASS.html|publisher=European Parliament|access-date=16 June 2012}} On 24 May 2011, British MEP David Campbell Bannerman defected to the Conservative Party, and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13518731 | publisher=BBC News | title=UKIP MEP Campbell Bannerman defects to Conservatives | date=24 May 2011}}

In March 2011, Danish MEP Anna Rosbach left the EFD, and in turn joined the ECR group as an independent.[http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/rosbach-leaves-danish-peoples-party-to-become-ecr-mep/ Rosbach leaves Danish People's Party to become ECR MEP: theparliament.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313085011/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/rosbach-leaves-danish-peoples-party-to-become-ecr-mep |date=13 March 2011 }}

The EFD was joined by Belgian MEP Frank Vanhecke in November 2011, after Vanhecke left Flemish Interest (VB).{{cite news |title=Gewezen VB-voorzitter Vanhecke: "Stem op N-VA" |url=http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/1348938/2011/11/16/Gewezen-VB-voorzitter-Vanhecke-Stem-op-N-VA.dhtml |newspaper=De Morgen |date=16 November 2011 |access-date=11 December 2011}} It was joined by Magdi Allam in December 2011, when Allam defected from the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC) in the EPP group.{{cite news |title=Contrario alla libertà di coscienza sull'aborto, Magdi Allam esce dal PPE |first=Mara |last=Piras |url=http://www.italiah24.it/italia/politica/84100/contrario-alla-liberta-di-coscienza-sullaborto-magdi-allam-esce-dal-ppe.html |date=15 December 2011 |access-date=19 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426062637/http://www.italiah24.it/italia/politica/84100/contrario-alla-liberta-di-coscienza-sullaborto-magdi-allam-esce-dal-ppe.html |archive-date=26 April 2012 |url-status=dead }} The four MEPs from United Poland defected from the ECR group on 26 December 2011, taking the group's numbers to 33. In March 2012 Roger Helmer who was elected as a British Conservative Party MEP and previously sat with the ECR group, defected to UKIP and the EFD, raising the group's numbers to 34.{{cite news|last=Hinton-Beales|first=Desmond|title=Conservative MEP defects to UKIP|url=http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/conservative-mep-defects-to-ukip/|access-date=16 March 2012|newspaper=TheParliament.com|date=5 March 2012}}

In late 2012, Slavcho Binev MEP of People for Real, Open and United Democracy (PROUD) joined the group.

In February 2013 Marta Andreasen announced she was leaving UKIP and defected to the Conservative Party.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}

In late September 2013, National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (NSFB) joined the group.{{cite web|url=http://www.skat.bg/products.php?type=10&genre=2539|title=Национална телевизия СКАТ|author=Национална телевизия СКАТ|work=skat.bg|access-date=2 March 2016}}

=Reformation for 8th European Parliament=

Composition

File:Europe of Freedom and Democracy MEPs map.svg

Europe of Freedom and Democracy had 34 elected members between 2009 and 2014, they are as follows:

class="wikitable"
Country ! colspan="3"\| Name ! Ideology ! Previous membership ! MEPs{{cite web\|title=Members\|url=http://www.efdgroup.eu/members.html\|publisher=EDF Group\|access-date=1 May 2012\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501100821/http://www.efdgroup.eu/members.html\|archive-date=1 May 2012}}
{{flag\|United Kingdom}} ! style="background:{{party color\|UK Independence Party}}"\| \| UK Independence Party \| UKIP \| Right-wing populism British nationalism \| Independence/Democracy \| {{Composition bar\|10\|736\|{{party color\|UK Independence Party}}}}
{{flag\|Italy}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Lega Nord}}"\| \| Northern League \| Lega \| Nationalism Right-wing populism \| Union for Europe of the Nations \| {{Composition bar\|9\|736\|{{party color\|Lega Nord}}}}
{{flag\|Poland}} ! style="background:{{party color\|United Poland}}"\| \| United Poland \| SP \| National conservatism Catholic nationalism \| European Conservatives and Reformists \| {{Composition bar\|4\|736\|{{party color\|United Poland}}}}
{{flag\|Lithuania}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Order and Justice}}"\| \| Order and Justice \| TT \| National conservatism Right-wing populism \| Union for Europe of the Nations \| {{Composition bar\|2\|736\|{{party color\|Order and Justice}}}}
{{flag\|Greece}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Popular Orthodox Rally}}"\| \| Popular Orthodox Rally \| LAOS \| Religious conservatism Right-wing populism \| Independence/Democracy \| {{Composition bar\|2\|736\|{{party color\|Popular Orthodox Rally}}}}
{{flag\|Bulgaria}} ! style="background:{{party color\|National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria}}"\| \| National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria \| NFSB \| Ultranationalism Euroscepticism \| Non-Inscrits \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria}}}}
{{flag\|Denmark}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Danish People's Party}}"\| \| Danish People's Party \| DF \| Danish nationalism Right-wing populism \| Non-Inscrits \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|Danish People's Party}}}}
{{flag\|Finland}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Finns Party}}"\| \| colspan="2"\| Finns Party \| National conservatism Right-wing populism \| None \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|Finns Party}}}}
{{flag\|France}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Movement for France}}"\| \| Movement for France \| MPF \| National conservatism French nationalism \| Independence/Democracy \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|Movement for France}}}}
{{flag\|Italy}} ! style="background:#0087BD"\| \| I Love Italy \| ALI \| Christian democracy Euroscepticism \| European People's Party \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|#0087BD}}
{{flag\|Netherlands}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Reformed Political Party}}"\| \| Reformed Political Party \| SGP \| Christian right Social conservatism \| Independence/Democracy \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|Reformed Political Party}}}}
{{flag\|Slovakia}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Slovak National Party}}"\| \| Slovak National Party \| SNS \| Ultranationalism Right-wing populism \| None \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|Slovak National Party}}}}
{{flag\|Belgium}} ! style="background:{{party color\|Independent politician}}"\| \| colspan="2"\| Frank Vanhecke (Ind.) \| – \| Non-Inscrits \| {{Composition bar\|1\|736\|{{party color\|Independent politician}}}}

class="wikitable"

Country

! colspan="3"| Name

! Ideology

! Previous membership

! MEPs{{cite web|title=Members|url=http://www.efdgroup.eu/members.html|publisher=EDF Group|access-date=1 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501100821/http://www.efdgroup.eu/members.html|archive-date=1 May 2012}}

! style="background:{{party color|UK Independence Party}}"|

| UK Independence Party

| UKIP

| Right-wing populism
British nationalism

| Independence/Democracy

| {{Composition bar|10|736|{{party color|UK Independence Party}}}}

! style="background:{{party color|Lega Nord}}"|

| Northern League

| Lega

| Nationalism
Right-wing populism

| Union for Europe of the Nations

| {{Composition bar|9|736|{{party color|Lega Nord}}}}