Countries

Albania is an Adriatic nation of the Western Balkans, with around 2.4 million inhabitants (2024) and one of the most resolutely pro-European orientations in the region. A candidate since 2014, it opened accession negotiations in 2022 and, by December 2025, had opened all negotiating clusters — 33 chapters in thirteen months.

Alongside Montenegro, Albania is now a frontrunner of enlargement. In 2026 it provisionally closed its first chapters, and Tirana aims to conclude negotiations by 2027. The EU has recognised progress on the fundamentals — judicial reform, anti-corruption, the rule of law — but much remains to be done to consolidate these gains, guarantee free media and ensure inclusive political dialogue. A committed NATO ally and a constructive regional actor, Albania must deepen and protect its democratic maturity at every step.

Albania embodies a conviction dear to the European Democrats: that the European project still inspires 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. A federal republic of nine Länder, from the Alpine valleys of Tyrol to the Danube, it has a strong tradition of regional self-government and local identity, while Vienna, home to major international organisations, is a natural meeting point for dialogue across the continent. In the European Parliament Austria holds 20 seats (2024).

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 before recorded history and whose language, Euskera, stands alone among the tongues of the continent. Its culture 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, the Ertzaintza, and — a status shared in Spain only with Navarre — its own fiscal system, the Concierto Económico. Euskera is, alongside Spanish, an official language of a territory of around 2.2 million inhabitants (2024) that 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 every stage of the Union's deepening. In the European Parliament it holds 22 seats (2024).

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.

Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and the region's biggest democracy, a federal presidential republic of more than 210 million people (2024), made up of 26 states and the Federal District, with Brasília as its capital. It has been a strategic partner of the European Union since 2007 and is a founding member of Mercosur.

A key player in the G20 and the BRICS, Brazil is central to global climate and Amazon policy, as its hosting of COP30 in Belém in 2025 showed. Its relationship with Europe rests on trade, multilateralism and shared democratic institutions, and on the EU–Mercosur agreement, whose negotiations were concluded in December 2024.

Brazil reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that partnerships between democracies are built on respect for each nation's sovereignty — and that the right of Brazilians to choose their own future, free from foreign interference, is non-negotiable.

Canada is one of the world's most established democracies, a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy of more than 40 million people (2024), made up of ten provinces and three territories, with Ottawa as its capital. A G7 member and a founding member of NATO, it shares with the European Union its values, its institutions, a commitment to multilateralism and the rule of law — and two of Europe's languages.

The EU and Canada are already linked by a Strategic Partnership Agreement, by the CETA trade agreement and, since 2025, by a Security and Defence Partnership. In a world reshaped by great-power rivalry and economic coercion, the EDP supports enhanced cooperation in every field, from trade and energy to defence, research and foreign policy, and Canada's progressive integration into European structures.

Canada reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that Europe is defined by its values more than by its borders — and that the time has come to open a real path for Canada to join the European project, in a form to be defined together.

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 historical nationality, the Canary Islands govern themselves under their Statute of Autonomy of 1982, reformed in 2018, with their own Parliament and government (Gobierno de Canarias) and a special economic and fiscal regime that reflects their remoteness. Within the European Union they are an outermost region — fully part of the Union, with tailored derogations — and the most populous of them all, with around 2.2 million inhabitants (2024).

A proud nation within Europe, 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.

Catalonia is one of Europe's historic nations, a Mediterranean land whose roots go back to the medieval County of Barcelona and Principality of Catalonia. Its language, Catalan, is the living pillar of a culture shared with the Balearic Islands, Valencia and southern France.

Recognised as a historical nationality, Catalonia governs itself under the Statute of Autonomy, first won in 1979 and expanded in 2006 — though key provisions were struck down by the Spanish Constitutional Court in 2010. It has its own Parliament, its own Government led by the President of the Generalitat and its own police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, but, unlike the Basque Country, no fiscal system of its own. With around 8 million inhabitants (2024), Catalonia is one of Europe's most dynamic economies, and its people and parliamentary majorities have repeatedly expressed their wish to decide their own future, as in the referendum of 1 October 2017.

A proud nation within Europe, Catalonia 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 right of Europe's peoples — Catalans among them — to determine their own political future deserves to be heard within 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, after 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. In the European Parliament it 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, which 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 it 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. In the European Parliament it 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: 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 grown through successive enlargements from six founding members to 27 member states and around 450 million citizens (2024) — turning a continent once torn by war into a community of democracies bound by common values and the rule of law.

Through the single market, the euro and free movement, the Union has woven the lives of Europeans together as never before. At its democratic heart stands the European Parliament, the only EU institution directly elected by citizens, with 720 members (2024). 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 — a fragile one, never to be taken for granted. To defend it, reform it and 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 it is the second-largest delegation, with 81 seats (2024), behind only Germany.

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, in the green north-western corner of the Iberian Peninsula, with a Celtic-influenced heritage, a deep 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 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. With around 2.7 million inhabitants (2024) and a diaspora spread across the world after a long history of emigration, Galicia blends a strong rural and maritime tradition with a modern, outward-looking economy.

A proud nation within Europe, 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 eastern edge of Europe, with around 3.7 million inhabitants (2024) and a population whose attachment to the European project is written into its constitution. It was granted candidate status in December 2023, carrying the hopes of a society that has repeatedly taken to the streets to defend them.

After the so-called “foreign influence” law of 2024 and a broader authoritarian turn, the EU has found Georgia sharply backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights, and in November 2024 the government itself suspended the European path until 2028. The accession process is de facto frozen: Georgia remains a candidate only on paper. Under constant pressure from its powerful northern neighbour, it has become a frontline in the struggle between democracy and authoritarianism.

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 capacity for reform are central to the Union's competitiveness and democratic reliability. Its federal structure gives a strong voice to its regions. In the European Parliament it is the largest delegation, with 96 seats (2024) — the maximum allowed to any member state.

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 southern enlargement that followed the restoration of its democracy.

Since accession, Greece has been a committed member of the eurozone and a country on the front line of some of the Union's greatest challenges, from migration to security in the eastern Mediterranean. In the European Parliament it 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. In the European Parliament it 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.

Iceland is a Nordic island nation of around 390,000 people (2024) in the North Atlantic, independent since 1944 and home to the Althing, one of the world's oldest parliaments. Though outside the Union, it is one of the EU's closest partners: a member of the European Economic Area since 1994, it takes part in the single market and has belonged to the Schengen Area since 2001.

Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009 and opened accession negotiations in 2010, but talks were halted in 2013 and the application set aside in 2015. In an advisory referendum in August 2026, Icelanders narrowly voted against resuming negotiations — 52.8% to 47.2% — in a debate dominated by fisheries and sovereignty. The government has pledged to respect the result, and the EEA remains the foundation of the relationship with the Union.

Iceland reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that Europe's door must always stay open — and that the choice to walk through it belongs, in a democracy, to the citizens themselves.

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 member state where English is the main language. In the European Parliament it 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. In the European Parliament it is the third-largest delegation, with 76 seats (2024), behind only Germany and France.

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 it 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.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy of around 37 million people (2024) in North Africa, led by King Mohammed VI since 1999 and governed under the constitution reformed in 2011. Bound to the Union by an Association Agreement signed in 1996 and by an Advanced Status since 2008, it is one of the EU's closest southern neighbours, and the EU is its first trading partner.

Today the partnership spans trade, energy, investment and migration, and Brussels and Rabat are working towards a broader strategic partnership. Migration remains its most sensitive test: the mass crossings into Ceuta in summer 2026, which cost dozens of lives, showed how pressure on a single external frontier quickly becomes a question for all of Europe — and how strong the temptation is to answer it with internal border checks.

Morocco's neighbourhood speaks to a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that Europe must protect its external borders together — with shared resources and binding solidarity between member states — rather than rebuild borders between Europeans, keeping freedom of movement within Schengen intact.

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 it 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 one of the great success stories of European integration. In the European Parliament it is the fifth-largest delegation, with 53 seats (2024).

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 southern 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 it 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 small state enclosed within Italy whose roots go back to the year 301. With around 34,000 inhabitants (2024), it has preserved its independence and republican institutions for seventeen centuries — a living testimony to the endurance of self-government in Europe.

Though not a member of the Union, San Marino is closely woven into European life: it forms a customs union with the EU and uses the euro. After negotiations concluded in December 2023, the Association Agreement between the EU, San Marino and Andorra was signed in October 2026. Once ratified, it will give the republic access to the single market — with the free movement of goods, services, capital and people — on terms comparable to those of Norway or Iceland.

San Marino embodies a conviction dear to the European Democrats: that the European project is built by every people that shares its values, however small — and that bringing Europe's neighbours closer to the Union, with common rights and rules, makes the whole continent stronger.

Serbia lies at the heart of the Western Balkans, at the crossroads between Central Europe, the Mediterranean and the East. A candidate since 2012, it has been negotiating its accession since 2014 and remains central to the Union's commitment to the whole region.

Serbia has opened 22 of 35 negotiating chapters, but progress has stalled: the EU points to an erosion of media and academic freedom, while the balancing act between Europe and other powers and the unresolved relationship with Kosovo weigh on its future. Since the deadly collapse of the Novi Sad station canopy in 2024, a student-led citizen movement has demanded accountability, and in the snap elections of October 2026 a student list defeated the ruling coalition — a turning point whose consequences for the European path remain to be seen.

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 — the first of the Visegrád countries 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. In the European Parliament it 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 Union. It became a member in 2004, in the enlargement that reunited the continent, 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. In the European Parliament it 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.

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy on the Iberian Peninsula that joined the European Communities in 1986, together with Portugal, consolidating its return to the European family after the democratic transition of the late 1970s. It adopted the euro at its launch in 1999 and has been part of the Schengen area since 1995.

Its most distinctive trait is a plurinational, highly decentralised state of 17 autonomous communities. Several of its historical nations — the Basque Country, Catalonia, the Canary Islands and Galicia — are home to EDP member parties and have their own pages on this site. In the European Parliament, Spain is the fourth-largest delegation, with 61 seats (2024).

Spain's plural democracy reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that strong territories and a strong Europe are not rivals but allies, and that unity in diversity is best served when nations with their own identity find a voice both at home and in Brussels.

Taiwan is a free and sovereign nation of around 23 million people (2024) in East Asia — a full democracy with free elections, a vibrant civil society and a world-leading technology industry that produces most of the world's most advanced semiconductors. Since its first direct presidential election in 1996, power has changed hands peacefully between parties, making Taiwan one of the most solid democracies in Asia.

Taiwan has never been governed by the People's Republic of China, yet it lives under constant threat from Beijing: military drills around the island, coercion of its partners and a systematic campaign to exclude it from international organisations. The European Union still has no diplomatic relations with Taipei, cooperating only through its trade office, even as the European Parliament calls for ever closer ties.

Taiwan embodies a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that a people's right to self-determination is not negotiable. The European Democrats support Taiwan's full independence and its recognition as a sovereign state — and call on Europe to end its ambiguity and stand openly with the Taiwanese people.

Turkey stands where Europe meets Asia, a country of around 85.6 million people (2024), a bridge between continents and a major power in its own right. Associated with the European Communities since 1963 and linked to the EU by a customs union since 1995, it has been an official candidate for membership since 1999.

Yet its accession negotiations have been at a standstill since 2018. Turkey's strategic weight is undeniable — as a NATO ally and a partner on trade, energy and migration — but serious concerns over democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms block its path. With judicial independence, press freedom and academic freedom under pressure, the European Parliament has stated that the process cannot resume under current conditions.

Turkey speaks to a conviction at the heart of the European Democrats' mission: that no strategic importance can substitute for the values — democracy, the rule of law, free media — on which membership rests. The European Democrats stand with Turkey's democrats, its independent journalists and the citizens who keep that European hope alive.

The United States is a federal presidential republic of around 340 million people (2024), made up of 50 states, with Washington, D.C. as its capital. Bound to Europe by history and the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949, it has long been the Union's closest ally, and together they form the largest trade and investment relationship in the world.

Since Donald Trump's return to the presidency in January 2025, that partnership has been shaken by tariffs, pressure on allies and open hostility towards the European project — while at home the independence of the courts, the press, universities and the civil service has come under attack, raising deep concern for the health of American democracy. The 2025 trade framework, which caps most US tariffs on European goods at 15%, does not change the lesson: Europe can no longer take its security, its markets or its technology for granted.

The United States speaks to a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that Europe must achieve real strategic autonomy — in defence, energy, technology and trade — to stand as an equal partner rather than a dependent one, and that our friendship is with the American people and the democratic institutions they are fighting to protect.