Countries

Albania is an Adriatic nation of the Western Balkans, a country whose pro-European orientation is among the most resolute in the region. A candidate since 2014, it opened accession negotiations in 2020 and has since become, alongside Montenegro, one of the clear frontrunners of EU enlargement, opening successive clusters and advancing on justice reform and the fight against organised crime and corruption.

Albania's progress on the fundamentals — judicial reform, anti-corruption, the rule of law — has been recognised by the European Union, even as much work remains to consolidate these gains and ensure free media and inclusive political dialogue. Internationally, Albania is a committed NATO ally and a constructive regional actor, aiming to conclude negotiations within the coming years. Yet its democratic maturation, like that of its neighbours, must be deepened and protected at every step.

A nation moving with determination towards Europe, Albania embodies an idea dear to the European Democrats: that the European project still inspires, still pulls nations forward, and still rewards those who do the hard work of reform — and that the democrats driving that change deserve Europe's full support.

Austria stands at the crossroads of Europe, a bridge between West and East and a country whose identity is deeply bound to the continent's history. It joined the European Union in 1995, together with Finland and Sweden, anchoring its post-war neutrality within a shared European project.

Since accession, Austria has been a committed member of the eurozone and the Schengen area, contributing to the Union's economic stability and its open internal borders. A federal republic of nine Länder, from the Alpine valleys of Tyrol to the Danube and the historic capital Vienna, Austria embodies a strong tradition of regional self-government and local identity. Vienna, home to major international organisations, also reflects the country's vocation as a meeting point for dialogue across the continent.

In the European Parliament, Austria holds 20 seats (2024). Its delegation reflects a tradition of strong civic participation and a lively democratic debate on Europe's direction.

From the peaks of Tyrol to the banks of the Danube, Austria reflects a conviction dear to the European Democrats: that a Europe of strong communities and shared responsibility is a Europe closer to its citizens.

The Basque Country, Euskadi, is one of Europe's oldest nations, home to a people whose origins reach back to before recorded history and whose language, Euskera, stands alone among the tongues of the continent, related to no other. To be Basque is to belong to a culture that has endured for millennia at the western edge of the Pyrenees, between Spain and France.

Recognised as a historical nationality, the Basque Country governs itself under the Statute of Gernika of 1979, which restored its self-government after the Franco dictatorship. It has its own Parliament (Eusko Legebiltzarra), its own government led by the Lehendakari, its own police force, and — uniquely — its own fiscal system, the Concierto Económico, which allows it to raise and manage its own taxes. Euskera is, alongside Spanish, an official language of the territory.

With around 2.2 million inhabitants (2024), the Basque Country combines a strong industrial tradition with one of the most advanced systems of self-government in Europe.

A proud nation within Europe, the Basque Country embodies a conviction at the very heart of the European Democrats' vision: that strong territories and a strong Europe are not rivals but allies, and that the languages and identities of Europe's peoples — Euskera among them — deserve their full place in the Union.

Belgium is a founding member of the European project and the political heart of the Union: Brussels, its capital, hosts the main European institutions. Since signing the Treaty of Rome in 1957, Belgium has been at the centre of every step of European integration.

A federal country where Dutch, French and German speakers live together, Belgium embodies in miniature the European art of uniting diversity through dialogue and compromise. It has been a driving force behind the single market, the eurozone and the Union's deepening at every turn.

In the European Parliament, Belgium holds 22 seats (2024). As host nation, it lives the European project not as a distant abstraction but as part of daily life.

Belgium shows what lies at the core of the European Democrats' vision: that diversity, far from being an obstacle, is the very foundation on which a united Europe is built.

The Canary Islands are an Atlantic nation, an archipelago of eight inhabited islands lying closer to the African coast than to mainland Europe, with a distinct identity rooted in the heritage of their first inhabitants, the Guanches, and in centuries as a crossroads between Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Recognised as a nationalidad histórica, the Canary Islands have governed themselves under their Statute of Autonomy of 1982, with their own Parliament and regional government (Gobierno de Canarias), and a special economic and fiscal regime that reflects their remoteness. Within the European Union, they hold the status of outermost region (RUP) — fully part of the Union, yet benefiting from tailored derogations in recognition of their distance from the continent. They are the most populous of all the EU's outermost regions.

With around 2.2 million inhabitants (2024), the islands combine a unique natural heritage — including Spain's highest peak, the Teide — with a strategic position at the Atlantic gateway of Europe.

A nation at the edge of the continent, the Canary Islands embody a principle the European Democrats hold dear: that Europe must remain attentive to its most distant territories, and that geographic remoteness must never mean political distance from the heart of the Union.

Croatia is the Union's newest member, a country of the Adriatic whose accession in 2013 marked the most recent enlargement of the European Union. Its journey to membership, following a difficult path to independence, stands as a symbol of Europe's power to reconcile and to anchor peace.

Since joining, Croatia has moved swiftly to the centre of European cooperation, adopting the euro and entering the Schengen area in 2023 — a remarkable pace of integration. Its long coastline and natural beauty also make it one of the Mediterranean's treasures.

In the European Parliament, Croatia holds 12 seats (2024), carrying the voice of a young member state with a strong European conviction.

Croatia embodies a truth at the heart of the European Democrats' vision: that the European project remains, above all, a project of peace, reconciliation and shared belonging.

Cyprus is the Union's easternmost member, an island at the meeting point of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It joined the European Union in 2004, as part of the historic enlargement that reunited the continent, and adopted the euro in 2008.

Despite the division of the island that still awaits a just and lasting settlement, Cyprus has firmly anchored itself in the European family, contributing its strategic position and its long history as a cultural bridge between civilisations.

In the European Parliament, Cyprus holds 6 seats (2024) — the minimum guaranteed to every member state, a reminder that in the Union, the voice of the smallest is heard alongside that of the largest.

Cyprus reflects a principle the European Democrats champion: that European solidarity means standing with every member, regardless of size, in the pursuit of peace and shared prosperity.

Czechia lies at the very centre of the continent, a country whose history is woven into the European story. It joined the European Union in 2004, as part of the great enlargement that brought the nations of Central Europe back into the European family.

Since accession, Czechia has become a dynamic part of the single market and a committed participant in European cooperation, drawing on a strong industrial tradition and a deep cultural heritage. Prague stands as one of Europe's great historic capitals.

In the European Parliament, Czechia holds 21 seats (2024), reflecting an engaged society and a vigorous democratic debate on the country's place in Europe.

Czechia embodies a conviction the European Democrats share: that the reunification of the continent is one of Europe's greatest achievements — and a responsibility to be nurtured.

The European Union is the most ambitious peace project in history: twenty-seven nations that chose to pool part of their sovereignty to build a shared future. Born from the ruins of the Second World War, from the Schuman Declaration of 1950 and the Treaty of Rome of 1957, it has turned a continent once torn by war into a community of democracies bound by common values and the rule of law.

Today the Union brings together 27 member states and around 450 million citizens (2024), making it one of the world's largest economies and its foremost community of democracies. Through the single market, the euro, free movement and common policies, it has woven the lives of Europeans together as never before — while its successive enlargements, from six founding members to twenty-seven, have reunited a continent long divided.

At its democratic heart stands the European Parliament, the only EU institution directly elected by citizens, with 720 members (2024) representing every corner of the Union. It is here that the European Democrats work, within the Renew Europe group, to give citizens a stronger voice in the decisions that shape their lives.

The European Union is not a finished construction but a project in the making — and a fragile one, never to be taken for granted. To defend it, to reform it, and to bring it closer to its citizens is the very purpose of the European Democrats: a sovereign, democratic Europe, strong enough to protect its people and to stand as an alliance of democrats in a changing world.

France is a founding member of the European project and one of its principal driving forces. From the Schuman Declaration of 1950 to the Treaty of Rome of 1957, France has stood at the origin of European integration and at the heart of its every advance.

A nation present on several continents through its overseas territories, France brings to the Union a global reach, a strong commitment to European sovereignty, and a long tradition of federalist and pro-European thought. It is a pillar of the eurozone and of the Union's strategic ambition.

In the European Parliament, France is the second-largest delegation, with 81 seats (2024), behind only Germany. Its voice carries weight in every major European debate.

France embodies an ambition the European Democrats place at the centre of their vision: a sovereign, democratic Europe, able to decide for itself and to act with strength in the world.

Galicia is a nation of the Atlantic, occupying the green north-western corner of the Iberian Peninsula, with a Celtic-influenced heritage, a profound seafaring culture, and a language of its own — Galego — born of the same Latin roots as Portuguese and carrying a literary tradition centuries deep.

Recognised in its very Statute as a historical nationality, Galicia regained its self-government with the Statute of Autonomy of 1981, after the Franco dictatorship. It has its own Parliament and its own government, the Xunta de Galicia, and Galego shares official status with Spanish across the territory. Marked by a long history of emigration, Galicia carries its identity far beyond its borders, through a diaspora spread across the world.

With around 2.7 million inhabitants (2024), Galicia blends a strong rural and maritime tradition with a modern, outward-looking economy.

A nation shaped by the ocean and by memory, Galicia reflects a conviction at the core of the European Democrats' vision: that Europe's strength lies in its peoples and territories, and that their languages, cultures and identities are not relics to preserve but living parts of the Europe of tomorrow.

Georgia is a nation of the Caucasus, at the far eastern edge of Europe, with an ancient culture, a proud history and a population whose attachment to the European project has been written, quite literally, into its constitution. Granted candidate status in December 2023, Georgia carried the European hopes of a society that has repeatedly taken to the streets in their defence.

Those hopes are now in grave danger. Following the adoption of a so-called "foreign influence" law and a broader authoritarian turn, the European Union has found Georgia to be sharply backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights, and its accession process has effectively been frozen — the government itself having suspended the European path. Caught between the democratic aspirations of its people and a leadership drifting away from European values, and under constant pressure from its powerful northern neighbour, Georgia has become a frontline in the wider struggle between democracy and authoritarianism.

A nation whose citizens refuse to let their European future be taken from them, Georgia speaks to the very core of the European Democrats' purpose: standing with the democrats, the protesters and the free voices who keep the European dream alive, even when their own governments turn away from it. Their fight is Europe's fight.

Germany is the Union's most populous member state and its largest economy, a founding nation of the European project whose post-war story is inseparable from European integration. It signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957 and has been a pillar of the Union ever since.

Reunified in 1990, Germany has been a steadfast force for European cooperation, the single market and the eurozone, and a country whose stability and reform capacity are central to the Union's competitiveness and democratic reliability. Its federal structure gives strong voice to its regions.

In the European Parliament, Germany is the largest delegation, with 96 seats (2024) — the maximum allowed to any member state. Its weight in European decision-making is unmatched.

Germany reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firmly: that a strong, democratic Europe depends on the engagement of its largest members in the service of the common good.

Greece is the cradle of European democracy, a country whose ancient heritage gave the continent the very idea of citizenship and self-government. It joined the European Communities in 1981, in the Mediterranean enlargement that followed the restoration of its democracy.

Since accession, Greece has been a committed member of the eurozone and a country at the front line of some of the Union's greatest challenges, from migration to security in the eastern Mediterranean. Its resilience through difficult years reflects a deep European conviction.

In the European Parliament, Greece holds 21 seats (2024), carrying the voice of the nation where democracy was born.

Greece embodies the very foundation of the European Democrats' purpose: the defence of democracy, the value that Europe inherited from Athens and must protect in every generation.

Hungary lies at the heart of Central Europe, a country with a rich cultural heritage and a pivotal role in the continent's history — not least in the fall of the Iron Curtain. It joined the European Union in 2004, in the enlargement that reunited Europe.

Since accession, Hungary has been fully integrated into the single market and European cooperation, while its citizens remain deeply attached to the opportunities and freedoms that European membership brings. Budapest stands among the great capitals of the continent.

In the European Parliament, Hungary holds 21 seats (2024), reflecting a society engaged in a vital debate about its European future.

Hungary speaks to a commitment at the very core of the European Democrats' mission: that democracy, the rule of law and European values must be defended wherever they come under pressure.

Ireland is an island nation on the Union's western edge, a country whose European membership transformed its economy and its place in the world. It joined the European Communities in 1973, in the first enlargement, alongside Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Since accession, Ireland has become one of the Union's most committed members, a champion of the single market and, since Brexit, the only English-speaking member state — a position of particular significance. Its open, dynamic economy reflects the benefits of European integration.

In the European Parliament, Ireland holds 14 seats (2024), carrying a voice attached to openness, fairness and the European project.

Ireland reflects a conviction the European Democrats share: that European membership, lived close to citizens, is a powerful engine of prosperity, peace and opportunity.

Italy is a founding member of the European project, the country where the Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957, giving birth to the European Economic Community. From the spirit of the Ventotene Manifesto to the present day, Italy has been a wellspring of European and federalist thought.

A nation of profound cultural influence and strong regional identities, Italy is a pillar of the eurozone and of the single market, and a country whose contribution to the European project spans economy, culture and ideas. Its founding role gives it a special place in the European story.

In the European Parliament, Italy is the third-largest delegation, with 76 seats (2024), behind only Germany and France. Its voice carries weight across every European debate.

Italy embodies the deepest roots of the European Democrats' vision: the federalist ideal of a united Europe, born on Italian soil and carried forward to this day.

Malta is the smallest member state of the Union, an island nation at the heart of the Mediterranean with a history shaped by every great civilisation of the region. It joined the European Union in 2004, in the enlargement that reunited the continent, and adopted the euro in 2008.

Since accession, Malta has anchored itself firmly in the European family, contributing its strategic position at the crossroads of Europe and Africa and its long experience as a bridge between cultures and peoples.

In the European Parliament, Malta holds 6 seats (2024) — the minimum guaranteed to every member state, a reminder that the voice of the smallest counts alongside that of the largest.

Malta embodies a principle the European Democrats hold firm: that European solidarity means every member, however small, has a full and equal place at the European table.

The Netherlands is a founding member of the European project, a country whose openness to trade and the world has long made it a natural advocate of European cooperation. It signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957 and has been a pillar of the Union ever since.

A nation of merchants, innovators and water engineers, the Netherlands is a driving force in the single market, a champion of sound public finances and a committed member of the eurozone. Its pragmatic, outward-looking approach shapes many European debates.

In the European Parliament, the Netherlands holds 31 seats (2024), carrying a voice known for its attachment to openness, competitiveness and good governance.

The Netherlands reflects a conviction the European Democrats share: that a strong single market and sound, accountable institutions are essential to a Europe that delivers for its citizens.

Poland is the largest member state of Central Europe, a country whose struggle for freedom helped bring down the Iron Curtain and reunite the continent. It joined the European Union in 2004, in the historic enlargement that its own history had done so much to make possible.

Since accession, Poland has become one of the Union's most dynamic economies and a key voice on European security, solidarity and the future of the continent's eastern dimension. Its rapid development stands as one of the great success stories of European integration.

In the European Parliament, Poland is the fifth-largest delegation, with 53 seats (2024). Its weight in European decision-making continues to grow.

Poland embodies a conviction the European Democrats hold dear: that the reunification of Europe is a historic achievement, and that the defence of freedom and democracy is a shared and continuing task.

Portugal is a country on the Atlantic edge of Europe with a global history of exploration and exchange. It joined the European Communities in 1986, together with Spain, in the Mediterranean enlargement that followed the restoration of its democracy after the Carnation Revolution.

Since accession, Portugal has been a committed member of the eurozone and a constructive force in European cooperation, drawing on its Atlantic vocation and its deep ties across continents. Its democratic consolidation is closely bound to its European journey.

In the European Parliament, Portugal holds 21 seats (2024), carrying a voice attached to solidarity, cohesion and the European project.

Portugal reflects a truth the European Democrats champion: that European membership has been, for many nations, the anchor of democracy and the foundation of lasting progress.

San Marino is the oldest surviving republic in the world, a tiny landlocked state enclosed within Italy whose roots reach back to the year 301. With around 34,000 inhabitants, this microstate has preserved its independence and its republican institutions across seventeen centuries — a living testament to the endurance of self-government and freedom in Europe.

Though not a member of the European Union, San Marino is deeply woven into European life: it forms a customs union with the EU, uses the euro as its currency, and shares with the Union the same democratic values and a profound common heritage. Its relationship with Europe is now set to deepen decisively. After negotiations concluded in 2023, San Marino — together with Andorra — has agreed an Association Agreement with the European Union that, once ratified, will grant the republic far-reaching access to the single market, with the free movement of goods, services, capital and people, on a level comparable to Norway or Iceland.

A small republic with a long democratic memory, San Marino embodies a conviction dear to the European Democrats: that the European project is built not only by its largest members but by every people, however small, that shares its values — and that bringing Europe's neighbours closer to the Union, with rights and rules in common, makes the whole continent stronger.

Serbia lies at the heart of the Western Balkans, a nation of deep history and culture at the crossroads of the routes linking Central Europe to the Mediterranean and the East. A candidate for European Union membership since 2012, it has been negotiating its accession since 2014, and remains central to the Union's commitment to bring the whole of the Western Balkans into the European family.

That path, however, has slowed markedly. Serbia has opened most of its negotiating chapters, but progress has stalled, and the European Union has pointed to a worrying erosion of media freedom and academic freedom and the need to restart genuine reforms. Its balancing act between Europe and other powers, and the unresolved question of its relations with Kosovo, weigh on its European future. Meanwhile, waves of citizen protest have shown how strong the demand for democracy and accountability runs within Serbian society itself.

A nation whose European destiny is real but not yet secured, Serbia reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firmly: that the future of the Western Balkans lies in Europe, and that this future must be built on the rule of law, free media and the will of citizens — not granted in spite of their absence.

Slovakia is a country at the heart of Central Europe, a young state with a deep European vocation. It joined the European Union in 2004, in the great enlargement that reunited the continent, and adopted the euro in 2009 — among the first of its neighbours to do so.

Since accession, Slovakia has integrated firmly into the single market and the eurozone, building on a strong industrial base and a central position in the European economy. Bratislava, on the Danube, stands close to the very heart of the continent.

In the European Parliament, Slovakia holds 15 seats (2024), carrying the voice of a society engaged in an important debate about its European direction.

Slovakia speaks to a commitment at the core of the European Democrats' mission: that European values and democratic solidarity must be nurtured and defended across Central Europe and beyond.

Slovenia is a country where the Alps meet the Mediterranean, a green and prosperous nation that was the first of the former Yugoslav republics to join the European family. It joined the European Union in 2004, in the reunifying enlargement, and adopted the euro in 2007.

Since accession, Slovenia has been a committed member of the eurozone and the Schengen area, contributing its strategic position at the meeting point of Central Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. Its swift integration reflects a strong European conviction.

In the European Parliament, Slovenia holds 9 seats (2024), giving voice to a society firmly attached to its European choice.

Slovenia embodies a truth the European Democrats champion: that the European project is a project of peace and belonging, capable of drawing nations together across old divides.

Turkey stands at the meeting point of Europe and Asia, a nation of over 85 million people whose history, culture and geography have made it a bridge between continents and a major power in its own right. Its European vocation is long-standing: an associate of the European Communities since 1963, it has been formally a candidate for membership since 1999.

Yet Turkey's accession process has been at a standstill since 2018. While its strategic weight is undeniable — as a NATO ally, a key actor in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Black Sea, and a partner on trade, energy and migration — its path to Europe has been blocked by serious concerns over democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. The independence of the judiciary, the freedom of the press and academic freedom remain under pressure, and the European Parliament has held that, under current conditions, the process cannot be re-started.

A nation deeply tied to Europe yet held back by its own democratic backsliding, Turkey speaks to a conviction at the heart of the European Democrats' mission: that no geographic or strategic importance can substitute for the fundamental values — democracy, the rule of law, free media — on which European membership rests. The European Democrats stand with Turkey's democrats, its independent journalists and its citizens who keep that European hope alive.