Between 6-9 June 2024, millions of citizens across the 27 countries of the European Union had the opportunity to vote and elect the 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who will represent them for the next five years (2024-2029). The majority of MEP candidates in Ireland are members of national political parties. However, MEPs also sit in EU-wide political groups once elected to the European Parliament. This Just the Facts looks at the current political spectrum of the European Parliament and unpacks which political groups Irish MEPs might sit in once they are elected.
In the European Parliament, MEPs are not organised by nationality but rather by political affiliation. This has been the case since 1953 when the first three political groups—the Christian Democratic Group, the Socialist Group, and the Liberal Group — were officially authorised by the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (the European Parliament’s first iteration).
Elected MEPs can be members of national political parties or can be independent. While in the European Parliament, MEPs sit in EU-wide political groups, which are made up of many different EU domestic national parties. Alternatively, MEPs, known as “Non-Inscrits” (Non-attached), choose to remain unaffiliated to any political group. MEPs who are members of national political parties sit in the EU political group of which their national party is a member. MEPs cannot be members of more than one political group.
It is important to note that many resources and funds are channelled through political groups—from speaking times to budgets to staff and offices. Political groups are also the main actors in parliamentary activities, for example, calling for motions, tabling amendments, or sending back a report in a committee. For more information on the role of MEPs, see our May Just the Facts.
To form a group, you must have at least 23 members representing at least one-quarter of the EU Member States. Below is an overview of the seven political groups within the European Parliament as per their 2019-2024 formation. However, this configuration may change in the weeks following the 2024 European Elections as the new Parliament is formed.
The 2024-2029 political landscape of the European Parliament
During the weeks that follow the European elections, newly elected MEPs decide which political group they will sit in. The composition of the political groupings had to be decided before the first new plenary session, which started on 16 July 2024.
For the past five years, the European People’s Party (EPP), the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the liberals of Renew Europe have formed a three-group majority in the European Parliament, steering EU policy on various issues, including the European Green Deal, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In the previous mandate (2019-2024), there were seven political groups within the European Parliament, spanning from the political far-right to the far-left. Nevertheless, the political landscape of the Parliament has become more fragmented in recent years; a trend which is has continued into this new mandate. There are now eight political groups. The EPP will stay at the helm of decision-making as it remains the biggest political group. However, the far-right made important gains and now represent 27.49% of the seats, including the new far-right party “Patriots for Europe”, which was formed by national parties such as Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz and Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National. The Patriots for Europe group and another right-wing group, the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), now make up the third and fourth largest groups, respectively, in the Parliament.
The Greens/ EFA were impacted by substantial losses, in particular, due to the far-right’s gains in countries such as France and Germany. Thus, they have dropped in size from the fourth to the sixth largest group in the Parliament. Additionally, Renew saw a significant decline in votes across many EU countries, including France, but also in Spain, Romania, Estonia, and Denmark. Renew now has one less seat than ECR in the Parliament.
The repercussions of the changes in numbers of seats of the political groups are already beginning to show, with voting coalitions shifting. There is no longer a single political majority in the European Union, and voting majorities may change, depending on the policy issue – whether that may be climate change, defence or migration.
European Parliament Political Groupings
European People’s Party
The current largest party in the European Parliament is the European People’s Party (EPP). The EPP are a Christian Democratic, centre-right group whose commitments include respecting the principle of subsidiarity, defending the “European way of life”, and delivering a growth-oriented and competitive economy. The EPP consists of 188 MEPs, representing 27 Member States, and includes the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.
Irish affiliated party: Fine Gael
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): Regina Doherty (Dublin, FG), Seán Kelly (South, FG), Maria Walsh (Midlands North-West, FG), Nina Carberry (Midlands North-West, FG).
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
The centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) is the second-largest political group in the European Parliament, with 136 MEPs representing 25 Member States. It is composed of national parties prioritising social-democratic values. The S&D Group’s priority is “to fight unemployment and ensure that our societies and markets become fairer”. S&D’s president is Iratxe García Pérez who is a Spanish MEP.
Irish affiliated party: Labour
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin, Labour).
Patriots for Europe
The Patriots of Europe (PfE) is far-right political group in the European Parliament, founded after the 2024 European Parliament Elections. It is the third largest political group, with 86 MEPs, representing 12 Member States. The Patriots for Europe (PfE) was established by Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, Andrej Babiš’s ANO party and the Freedom Party of Austria shortly after the elections (June 30). The group promises to protect values including ‘the traditional family model’, ‘national sovereignty’ and reduce ‘illegal immigration’. Since its establishment, Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National of France have joined the group, after a surge in popularity in the French European Elections. The addition of the 30 French MEPs makes the group the third largest in the Parliament with Jordan Bardella as their President. The Identity & Democracy Group where Rassemblement National party formerly sat during the last legislature of the Parliament, along with MEPs from Lega in Italy and Freedom Party of Austria, has since been dissolved.
Irish affiliated party: No Irish political parties are currently official members of Patriots for Europe.
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): None
European Conservatives and Reformists Group
The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) is a right-wing (with centre and far-right factions), Eurosceptic and anti-federalist group, with 78 MEPs, representing 18 Member States. ECR calls for a reformed EU which is more ‘flexible, decentralised, and respects the wishes of its Member States. Their forming declaration highlights the ‘family as the bedrock of society’ and calls for ‘effectively controlled immigration’. ECR’s president was previously Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister and president of the Fratelli d’Italia party. She stepped down on 15 December 2024, and will be replaced by Poland’s former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of the Law and Justice party (PiS).
Irish affiliated party: No Irish political parties are currently official members of ECR.
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): None.
Renew Europe
Renew is a centrist (with right and left factions), liberal, pro-European political group, with 77 MEPs, representing 20 Member States. The group was formed in 2019, replacing the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). It includes MEPs from European political parties from ALDE and the European Democratic Party (EDP), as well as non-affiliated parties such as French President Emmanual Macron’s Renaissance party. The group’s priorities include promoting European values, investing in a sustainable future, and “creating a stronger Europe for the future”. Renew’s president is the French MEP Valérie Hayer.
Irish affiliated party: Fianna Fáil
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): Barry Andrews (Dublin, FF), Billy Kelleher (South, FF), Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (South, FF), Barry Cowen (Midlands North-West, FF), Michael McNamara (South, Independent), Ciaran Mullooly (Midlands North-West, Independent).
Greens/EFA
The Greens/EFA group are a progressive alliance with 53 MEPs, representing 17 Member States. The group’s priorities include climate and environmental protection, peace and social justice, and fair globalisation. The Greens/ EFA have two co-presidents: Philippe Lamberts, who is a Belgian MEP and Terry Reintke who is a German MEP.
Irish affiliated party: Green Party.
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): None.
The Left
The Left (GUE/NGL) is a left-wing, confederal group made up of 46 MEPs, representing 13 Member States. The group’s commitments include economic justice, as well as prioritising peace in security policy, and pushing for strong measures to fight climate change. GUE/ NGL’s co-chairs are Manon Aubry, who is a French MEP and Martin Schirdewan, who is a German MEP.
Irish affiliated parties: Sinn Féin, Independents 4 Change, People Before Profit.
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): Lynn Boylan (Dublin, SF), Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (Midlands North-West, Independent), Kathleen Funchion (South, SF).
Non-Inscrits
Non-Inscrits (NI) is French for non-attached. MEPs not part of any of the above political groups are considered non-attached or NI. There are 30 non-attached MEPs, representing 8 Member States. There are currently no Irish non-attached MEPs in the European Parliament.
Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN)
The Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) is the smallest group in the European Parliament, formed after the June 2024 elections. They have 25 MEPs in total, representing 8 Member States. Germany’s far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) established the group, having previously been expelled from Identity & Democracy (ID) after remarks made by their lead candidate. 14 AfD MEPs were elected to the Parliament. The group comprises 25 MEPs,14 of whom are from AfD. Members of the ESN are opposed to EU migration management, the Green Deal, and military assistance to Ukraine.
Irish affiliated party: No Irish political parties are currently official members of the Europe of Sovereign Nations political group.
Irish MEPs (2024-2029): None.
For further information on the European political parties, see links to their manifestos and websites below:
Renew:
Greens/ EFA: Website
Most recent EMI Publications:
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