Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Christian Union – Reformed Political Party

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Abbreviation
  
CU-SGP

Founded
  
1984

European Parliament group
  
ECR

Leader in the European Parliament
  
Peter van Dalen

European affiliation
  
ECPM

Seats in the European Parliament
  
2 / 26

Christian Union – Reformed Political Party

Christian Union – Reformed Political Party (Dutch: ChristenUnie – Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij) is a parliamentary common list for the European Parliament formed by two Dutch orthodox Protestant parties: the Christian Union and the Reformed Political Party. Both parties, Christian Union and SGP are eurosceptic and morally conservative. Both political parties have candidates on the common list.

Contents

History

The Reformed Political Alliance (GPV) and the Reformed Political Party (SGP) first tried to enter the European Parlement on their own in the 1979 European Parliament elections In 1984 they formed a common list together with the Reformed Political Party (RPF). The RPF-GPV-SGP parliamentary common list got their 1st seat in the 1984 European Parliament elections.

In 2001 RPF and the GPV merged into the Christian Union. After this merger the common list was renamed to Christian Union-SGP. The 2004 European elections was the first time they took part under this name.

European Grouping

  • 1984 and 1989: The parties were not part of any group and thus part of Non-Inscrits
  • 1994: All parties were part of the first eurosceptic group in the European parliament. Europe of Nations (EN), which dissolved in 1996 and succeeded by the Independents for a Europe of Nations (I-EN)
  • 1999: The Independents for a Europe of Nations (I-EN) reorganised and renamed to Europe of Democracies and Diversities (EDD) group.
  • 2004: The RPF and GPV merged into the Christen Union. The Europe of Democracies and Diversities (EDD) group reorganised itself into a new group, the Independence/Democracy (IND/DEM) group. Both the Christian Union and the Reformed Political Party were part of the Independence/Democracy (IND/DEM) group.
  • 2009: In June 2009, the Independence/Democracy (IND/DEM) group broke up, because many member parties joined the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, including the Christian Union. The ECR leadership did not want the SGP to join the new European parliamentary group, because of its conservative views on women. The Independence/Democracy (IND/DEM) group reorganised and renamed itself to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD). The SGP joined this new group.
  • 2014: The ECR accepted the SGP after all, as the SGP had softened its position on female suffrage. Since the 2014 European elections, the Christian Union and SGP are thus again part of the same group.

    • Common list

    Results for Christian Union-SGP common list. Participated as SGP/RPF/GPV, before 2004

    SGP

    Reformed Political Party (SGP)

    GPV

    Reformed Political Alliance (GPV)

    Current members of the European Parliament

  • Peter van Dalen (Christian Union) (top candidate)
  • Bas Belder (SGP)

    • References

    Christian Union – Reformed Political Party Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA