President Gregor Gysi (DE) Think tank Transform Europe | Leader in the EP Gabriele Zimmer (DE) | |
Founded 8–9 May 2004;
12 years ago Headquarters Square de Meeûs 25,
1000 Brussels, Belgium Youth wing European Network of Democratic Young Left | ||
The Party of the European Left, commonly abbreviated European Left (EL), is a European political party which 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. EL was founded on 8–9 May 2004 in Rome. Elected MEPs from member parties of the European Left sit in the European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) group in the European parliament.
Contents
Several of the member and observer parties participate also in the more radical European Anti-Capitalist Left. Before the European Left was founded, most of its members already held annual meetings together as part of the New European Left Forum (NELF).
Its first congress took place on 8 October 2005, in Athens, which produced the Athens Declaration of the European Left. The second congress was held 23–25 November 2007 in Prague. The third congress was held on 2–5 December 2010 in Paris. Its fourth congress was held on 13–15 December 2013 in Madrid. Its fifth congress took place on 16–18 December 2016 in Berlin, electing German lawyer and politician Gregor Gysi as the new EL President. The four Vice-Presidents are Maite Mola, Margarita Mileva, Paolo Ferrero and former EL President Pierre Laurent. Swiss Brigitte Berthouzoz serves as the new EL treasurer.
As of December 2016, the Party of the European Left gathers 27 member parties, 8 observers and 3 partners from 25 European countries.
Partners
As well as those of member and observer parties, individuals may also hold membership of the party.
European Council
The EL has one out of the 28 heads of State or Government that attend the EL summits in preparation for the European Council: