On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June, in the European elections, Italian voters will vote for candidates of national parties. Those elected will flow into European political groups, which are organized not on the basis of nationality but on political affinities. A greater number of elected representatives, for the national party of origin, means greater prestige and greater chances of obtaining nominations. But what are the European political groups and which Italian parties join them?
Ppe
The centre-right European People’s Party is the party with a relative majority in the outgoing Parliament and supported – together with the social democrats of S&D and the liberals of Renew Europe – the outgoing Commission, chaired by Ursula von der Leyen. For Italy, Forza Italia and the Südtiroler Volkspartei join.
S&D
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the centre-left heir group of the European Socialist Party. Second in number of parliamentarians after the 2019 elections, he supported the von der Leyen Commission with the EPP and Renew Europe. The Democratic Party and the Italian Socialist Party join it, even if the PSI candidates in these elections are running with the United States of Europe list.
King
Renew Europe is the central heir group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). He supports the outgoing commission. For Italy, Azione (Carlo Calenda’s party) and Italia Viva (Matteo Renzi’s party) join. With the exception of the PSI candidates, the elected members of the United States of Europe list – which also includes Italia Viva, +Europa, Libdem, Radicali Italiani, L’Italia c’è – will merge into Renew Europe.
Greens/Ale
The Greens/European Free Alliance are an environmentalist and left-wing party. The elected Green candidates of the Green and Left Alliance (Avs) will join this group.
ID
Identity and Democracy is a sovereignist group born in 2019 from the ashes of Europe of Nations and Freedom. The League for Salvini as prime minister joins it, alongside other right-wing groups, including extreme ones, such as the FPÖ (the Austrian party that belonged to Jorg Haider) and the Rassemblement National of Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen. Alternative für Deutschland was expelled from Id after a series of scandals and ambiguous or lenient statements towards Nazism.
Ecr
The Party of European Conservatives and Reformists, despite its name, is a right-wing and far-right sovereignist group to which the Brothers of Italy belongs. Since 2020 it has been chaired by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It includes, among others, the Spaniards of Vox and the Poles of Law and Justice.
Gue/Ngl
The Group of the Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL is a left-wing and far-left group. The elected representatives of the Green and Left Alliance nominated by the Italian Left will join this group.
Not registered
The 5 Star Movement is not a member of any European political group. In the weeks before the vote, a “red-brown alliance” was hypothesized with Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) – a pro-Russian far-left German party founded in January 2024 by the former leader of Die Linke – and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer.
