Party of the European Left

Left-wing European political party

Party of the European Left

Partei der Europäischen Linken
Parti de la Gauche Européenne
Partito della Sinistra Europea
Partido de la Izquierda Europea
Partido da Esquerda Europeia
Κόμμα Ευρωπαϊκής Αριστεράς
Avrupa Sol Partisi
Il-Partit Ewropew tax-Xellug

Abbreviation| PEL[a]
President| Walter Baier (AT)
Founded| 8–9 May 2004 (2004-05-08 – 2004-05-09);
21 years ago
Headquarters| Square de Meeûs 25,
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Think tank| Transform Europe
Women's wing| EL-Fem
Membership (26 January 2025)| 447
Ideology|

* Democratic socialism
* Communism
* Left-wing populism
* Anti-capitalism[1]
* Soft Euroscepticism

Political position| Left-wing to far-left
European Parliament group| The Left in the European Parliament (majority)
Colours|  Dark red
European Parliament|

16 / 720 (2%)

European Commission|

0 / 27 (0%)

European Council|

0 / 27 (0%)

European
Lower Houses|

116 / 6,318 (2%)

European
Upper Houses|

17 / 1,457 (1%)

Website
european-left.org

* Politics of the European Union
* Political parties
* Elections

The Party of the European Left (PEL), or European Left (EL), is a European political party that operates as an association of democratic socialist and communist political parties in the European Union and other European countries. It was formed in January 2004 for the purposes of running in the 2004 European Parliament elections. The PEL was founded on 8–9 May 2004 in Rome. The elected MEPs from member parties of the PEL sit in The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament, though not all PEL members are also members of GUE/NGL.

Several member and observer parties participate also in the more radical European Anti-Capitalist Left. Before the PEL was founded, most of its members already held annual meetings together, as part of the New European Left Forum (NELF).[2] The current president is the Austrian politician Walter Baier.

## History

[edit]

The Party of European Left (PEL) was formed on 8 and 9 May 2004 in Rome, Italy.[3][4] The party's first congress took place on 8 October 2005 in Athens, and produced the Athens Declaration of the European Left. The second congress was held 23–25 November 2007 in Prague.[5] The third congress was held on 2–5 December 2010 in Paris.[6][7][8] Its fourth congress was held on 13–15 December 2013 in Madrid.[9] Its fifth congress took place on 16–18 December 2016 in Berlin,[10] and elected German lawyer and politician Gregor Gysi as the new PEL President.[11] Heinz Bierbaum was elected president in 2019.[12][13] He was succeeded by Walter Baier in December 2022.[14]

It operates a think tank, Transform Europe, and it has women's wing named EL-Fem.[15][16]

In 2024, the Danish member Red-Green Alliance (Enhedlisten) announced the schism of the party and the formation of a socially liberal (green- and pro-Ukraine leaning) European Left Alliance for the People and the Planet, in short ELA. The split follows the split of socially liberal Die Linke and socially conservative BSW in Germany, and the creation of a separate platform for the 2024 European elections, Now the People.[17]

## Ideology

[edit]

PEL has been described as a left-wing[18][19] and a far-left[20][21] political party. Its ideology is based on principles of democratic socialism,[22][23] socialism,[24] and communism.[22][23][24] It is opposed to capitalism and consists of parties with wide range of opinions.[24][25]: 46 PEL is also supportive of progressivism.[25]: 50

It takes a soft Eurosceptic approach towards the European Union,[26] and opposes militarization and foreign interventionism.[25]: 53 PEL opposed the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan, and criticised the oppression of 2009 Iranian presidential election protests.[25]: 53 It is also opposed to NATO and United States military bases.[25]: 54 It supports Cuba, and a delegation visited the nation in February 2022.[27]

In an interview with the political magazine Jacobin, Walter Baier, the president of PEL, described PEL as part of the "socialist left" and criticised the European Union, stating that it is neoliberal and "closer to enlightened absolutism than parliamentary democracy".[28]

## Leadership

[edit]

* President: Fausto Bertinotti (2004–2007), Lothar Bisky (2007–2010), Pierre Laurent (2010–2016), Gregor Gysi (2016–2019), Heinz Bierbaum (2019–2022), Walter Baier (2022–present)
* Leader in the European Parliament: Francis Wurtz (2004–2009), Lothar Bisky (2009–2012), Gabi Zimmer (2012–2019), Martin Schirdewan (2019–present)

## Membership

[edit]

The Party of the European Left consists of member parties with full rights, observer parties, individual members and EL partners.[29] As of October 2024, The Party of the European Left has 24 member parties in 21 countries.[30] Not all members of PEL are members of The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament.[24][31]

### Full members

[edit]

Country  | Party  | National MPs  | MEPs[b]

|
|
|

Austria | Communist Party of Austria | –  | –
Belarus | Belarusian Left Party "A Just World" | –  | Not in the EU
Belgium | Communists of Wallonia-Brussels  | –  | –
Belgium | Workers' Party of Belgium | –  | –
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Left | –  | –
Croatia | Workers' Front | –  | –
Czech Republic | The Left | –  | –
Estonia | Estonian United Left Party | –  | –
Finland | Communist Party of Finland | –  | –
France | French Communist Party |

8 / 577

(National Assembly) | –

14 / 348

(Senate)
Republican and Socialist Left |

1 / 577

(National Assembly) | –

0 / 348

(Senate)
Germany | The Left |

64 / 736

(Bundestag) |

2 / 96

4 / 69

(Bundesrat)
Greece | New Left |

11 / 300

| –
Syriza |

26 / 300

4 / 21

Hungary | Workers' Party of Hungary 2006 – European Left | –  | –
Italy | Communist Refoundation Party | –  | –
Luxembourg | The Left |

2 / 60

0 / 6

Moldova | Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova |

8 / 101

| Not in the EU
Romania | Romanian Socialist Party | –  | –
Slovenia | The Left |

5 / 90

0 / 9

Spain |  | United Left |

5 / 350

(Congress of Deputies) |

0 / 61

0 / 266

(Senate of Spain)
Communist Party of Spain |

7 / 350

(Congress of Deputies)[c]

0 / 266

(Senate of Spain)
Catalonia | United and Alternative Left | –  | –
Switzerland | Swiss Party of Labour | –  | Not in the EU
Turkey | Left Party | –  | Not in the EU
United Kingdom | Left Unity | –  | Not in the EU

### Observer members

[edit]

Country  | Party  | National MPs  | European MEPs

|
|
|

Belgium | Mouvement Demain [fr] | –  | –
Cyprus |  | Progressive Party of Working People |

15 / 56

1 / 6

Northern Cyprus | New Cyprus Party | –  | De facto not in the EU
United Cyprus Party | –
Czech Republic | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia |

0 / 200

(Chamber of Deputies) |

1 / 21

0 / 81

(Senate)
Italy | Italian Left |

4 / 400

2 / 76

3 / 200

Slovakia | Communist Party of Slovakia | –  | –
Spain | Sortu |

1 / 23

(Congress of Deputies; Basque seats) |

1 / 61

1 / 20

(Senate of Spain; Basque seats)
United Kingdom | Transform Party | –  | Not in the EU

### EL Partners

[edit]

Country  | Party  | National MPs  | European MEPs

|
|
|

Austria | Der Wandel | –  | –
Left | –  | –
France | Ensemble! | –  | –
République et Socialisme  | –  | –
Germany | Marxistische Linke  | –  | –
Hungary | Táncsics – Radical Left Party | –  | –
Yes Solidarity for Hungary Movement | –  | –
Serbia | Solidarnost  | –  | Not in the EU
United Kingdom |  Scotland | Democratic Left Scotland | –  | Not in the EU
Socialists for the Independence  | –

### Former members

[edit]

Country  | Party  | Notes

|
|

Belgium | Communist Party | Stopped working as a Party in 2009, since December 2013 not listed as a Member.
Communist Party of Belgium | Resignation decided at the party congress on 30 July 2018.[32]
Czech Republic | Party of Democratic Socialism | Merged into The Left in 2020.
Denmark | Red–Green Alliance | Left the EL in 2024.
Finland | Left Alliance | Delisted from the EL website in 2024.
France | Left Party | Left the EL on 1 July 2018.
Unitary Left | Merged with the French Communist Party in 2015.
La France Insoumise | Member until 2018, observer until 2024
Germany | German Communist Party | Ended its observer status on 27 February 2016.[33]
Greece | Renewing Communist Ecological Left | Merged into Syriza in 2013.
Hungary | Hungarian Workers' Party | Quit 1 May 2009.
Italy | Party of Italian Communists | Dissolved in December 2014, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.
The Other Europe | Dissolved in 2019, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.
Poland | Young Socialists | Dissolved in 2015, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.
Portugal | Left Bloc | Quit 22 June 2024.[34]

## Representation in European institutions

[edit]

Organisation | Institution | Number of seats

|
|

European Union | European Parliament |

16 / 720 (2%)

[35]
European Commission |

0 / 27 (0%)

[36]
European Council
(Heads of Government) |

0 / 27 (0%)

[37]
Council of the European Union
(Participation in Government) |
Committee of the Regions |

0 / 329 (0%)

[38]
Council of Europe (as part of UEL) | Parliamentary Assembly |

34 / 612 (6%)

[39]

## See also

[edit]

* European Anti-Capitalist Left
* European United Left–Nordic Green Left
* Initiative of Communist and Workers' Parties
* List of communist parties represented in European Parliament
* Nordic Green Left Alliance
* Now the People
* Unified European Left Group
* European political party
* Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations
* European political foundation

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The abbreviation "EL" is also used.
2. ^ The number of MEPs listed below may not match the total number of MEPs of the European party, as it does not include MEPs who join as individual members.
3. ^ 4 of the deputies of the Communist Party of Spain are also members of United Left

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Some remarks concerning the creation of the Party of the European Left
2. ^ "Some remarks concerning the creation of the Party of the European Left". Official European Left site. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
3. ^ Hudson, Kate (2012). The New European Left: A Socialism for the Twenty-First Century?. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 46\. ISBN 978-1-137-26511-1.
4. ^ Hudson, Kate (2012), "The Party of the European Left", The New European Left, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 46–65, doi:10.1057/9781137265111_3, ISBN 978-1-349-32054-7, retrieved 29 April 2023
5. ^ Press release of the EL Executive Board meeting in Tallinn, May 2007 Archived 1 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "European Left convenes third congress in Paris". Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
7. ^ "Executive board met in Luxembourg: Countdown to the Congress". Party of the European Left. 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
8. ^ "EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons!". Party of the European Left. 6 December 2010. Archived from the original on 13 December 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
9. ^ "Convention of the 4th Congress of the Party of the European Left". Party of the European Left. 12 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
10. ^ "5th Congress – Berlin 2016". Party of the European Left. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
11. ^ "Gysi elected president of European Left – DW – 12/17/2016". dw.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
12. ^ "European Left Party elects Die Linke's Heinz Bierbaum as new president". Morning Star. 15 December 2019.
13. ^ "European Left Congress". www.transform-network.net (in French). 3 February 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
14. ^ Morea, Roberto (24 December 2022). "Walter Baier, the new president of the Party of the European Left: we stand for peace and defend the environment". Cross-border Talks. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
15. ^ Grants from the European Parliament to political foundations at European level per foundation per year
16. ^ "History". Party of the European Left. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
17. ^ Neivelt, Jonas (27 August 2024). "Enhedslisten forlader European Left og går med i nyt europæisk parti". Solidaritet (in Danish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
18. ^ Cahill, Ann (24 July 2014). "Sinn Fein adopt 'Team Ireland' approach in Europe". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
19. ^ Connoly, Raul (1 April 2015). "European left backs asylum rights". Green Left Weekly (1050): 17. ISSN 1036-126X. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
20. ^ Keating, Dave (15 May 2014). "The EBU candidates debate – as it happened". Politico. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
21. ^ Hudson, Kate (2012), Hudson, Kate (ed.), "The Party of the European Left", The New European Left: A Socialism for the Twenty-First Century?, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 46–65, doi:10.1057/9781137265111_3, ISBN 978-1-137-26511-1, retrieved 7 October 2023
22. ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "European Union". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
23. ^ a b Toplišek, Alen (14 March 2019). "Chapter 3: Between populism and socialism: Slovenia's Left party" (PDF). The Populist Radical Left in Europe. p. 9\. doi:10.4324/9781315180823-4. S2CID 159164068.
24. ^ a b c d Routledge handbook of European politics. José M. Magone. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge. 2015. p. 600\. ISBN 978-1-317-62836-1. OCLC 898475226.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
25. ^ a b c d e Hudson, Kate (2012). The new European left: a socialism for the twenty-first century?. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-26511-1. OCLC 809796420.
26. ^ Martinelli, Alberto (2020). European society. Leiden and Boston: Brill Publishers. p. 236\. ISBN 9789004351776.
27. ^ Puig Meneses, Yaima (16 February 2022). "Díaz-Canel thanks European Left Party for its longstanding support". Granma.
28. ^ Baltner, Adam (21 January 2023). "If the European Union Doesn't Democratize, It Will Crumble". Jacobin. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
29. ^ "Documents European Left 7th Congress" (PDF). European-Left.org. Party of the European Left. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
30. ^ "Our Parties". European-left.org. Party of the European Left. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
31. ^ Chryssogelos, Angelos-Stylianos (2015). "Patterns of Transnational Partisan Contestation of European Foreign Policy" (PDF). European Foreign Affairs Review. 20 (2): 8. doi:10.54648/EERR2015017. S2CID 153490875.
32. ^ Pourquoi le PCB a quitté le Parti de la Gauche Européenne (PGE) — Official statement on the party website.
33. ^ ELP-Beobachterstatus beendet – Bericht vom 3. Tag des XXI. Parteitag der DKP. Newswebsite of the Deutschen Kommunistischen Partei (DKP).
34. ^ "Balanço das eleições europeias e caminhos para uma esquerda forte" [Assessment of the European elections and paths for a strong left] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2024.
35. ^ "Party of the European Left". Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
36. ^ "College of Commissioners". Retrieved 7 February 2025.
37. ^ "Members of the European Council". Retrieved 7 February 2025.
38. ^ "European Committee of the Regions Members Page". Retrieved 6 February 2025.
39. ^ "Group of the Unified European Left". Retrieved 6 February 2025.

## External links

[edit]

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Athens Declaration of the 1st Congress of the European Left Party in Athens, 2005

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