At ’s Service

Thomas Jansen • Steven Van Hecke

At Europe’s Service

The Origins and Evolution of the European People’s Party

Thomas Jansen Dr. Steven Van Hecke [email protected] University of Antwerp Sint-Jacobstraat 2 2000 Antwerp [email protected]

Centre for European Studies, Rue du Commerce 20, B-1000 Brussels

The Centre for European Studies (CES) is the official think-tank of the European People’s Party dedicated to the promotion of Christian Democrat, Conservative and like-minded political values. For more information please visit the CES website: www.thinkingeurope.eu.

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The European Parliament assumes no responsibility for facts or opinions expressed in this publication or their subsequent use.

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Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Preface

This year the European People’s Party (EPP) celebrates its thirty-fifth an- niversary – an excellent moment to look back on what has been achieved thus far. From its birth on 8 July 1976 as the Federation of Christian De- mocratic parties of the European Communities, the EPP has been a factor in shaping European integration. At the time of its origins, it was one of three partly overlapping party organisations of Europe’s centre right, along with the older, continental of Christian Democrats (EUCD) and the European Democratic Union (EDU), a loose association of right- of-centre parties. It was by no means clear in 1976 that by the beginning of the second decade of the twenty-first century the EPP would have grown far beyond its original Christian Democratic core, absorbing the other two organisations and continuing as the strongest political force, both in the European Parliament (EP) and in most of the European Union Member States. Consequently, it has not only become the definitive party family on the centre-right, but also a truly European party, closely cooperating with, but distinct from, the EPP Group in the EP. This happened earlier in the EPP’s development than in that of the respective organisations of the Liberals, Socialists and Greens. Today, the EPP family consists of Christian Democrats and many other non-collectivist strands, encompassing a broad range of political tenden- cies and identities of the centre-right. Many of them, both in Western Europe and especially in Central and Eastern Europe, do not fit the classic labels of Christian Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals, but are woven of combinations of those threads. In that sense the EPP in its own expan- sion mirrors the enlargement of the EU, and the strengthening of EPP structures over time mirrors the institutional deepening of integration over VI Preface

recent decades. The EPP has always been, more than anything else, essen- tially at Europe’s service. The EPP family has faced many decisive challenges. From the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of Communism and the unification of Ger- many, to the accession of Central Europe’s new democracies to NATO and the EU, to the financial and economic crisis, the EPP has time and again played a key role in defusing conflicts of interest, creating synergies be- tween people and between institutions, always taking European integration another decisive step forward. This skill is again in demand in the severe crisis that surrounds the euro today. We can prevail only by relying on the fundamental values that have nurtured us through our history: the Christian image of man as a point of departure, human dignity, freedom in responsi- bility, solidarity, – and the recognition that only a strong EU guarantees Europe’s future in the world. Drawing on these values, the EPP family will be able to master present and future challenges: the euro crisis, climate action, demographic change, immigration and integration, and re- gaining competitiveness in the globalised economy. This book describes how the EPP was created and how it developed into its present shape and structure. Co-authored by Thomas Jansen, the former Secretary General of the EPP, and Steven van Hecke, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Antwerp, the book is based on an original text from 1996 by Jansen, which appeared in an updated version in 2006. For the 2011 edition, the entire text has been reviewed, restructured and once more updated, and now includes an account of the creation of the EPP’s political foundation, the Centre for European Studies (CES), in 2007. I have been closely involved with the development of the EPP as de- scribed in this book, not only as its President since 1990 but also in its founding stage in 1975 and 1976. I am proud to present this revised text on the origins and evolution of the EPP. My thanks go to the authors for their tireless work, and to the CES for editing and coordinating this volume.

Wilfried Martens, EPP President and CES President, Brussels, March 2011

Acknowledgements

This book is a revised and updated version of The European People’s Party: Origins and Development by Thomas Jansen (2006), published by the EPP in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish on the occasion of the party’s thirtieth anniversary. The 2006 edition was based on the original version of the book, published in German by European Union Verlag in 1996, then translated into English by Edward Steen and pub- lished by Macmillan in 1998. The current revising and updating (to 1 March 2011) was done by Ste- ven Van Hecke, assisted by Tom Roels. For this purpose interviews were conducted with EPP President Wilfried Martens (1 September 2009), Sec- retary General Antonio López-Istúriz (13 January 2010), Deputy Secretary General Christian Kremer (17 December 2009) and Deputy Secretary General Luc Vandeputte (13 January and 10 February 2010). Chapter 12, on the establishment of the Centre for European Studies (CES), is a new chapter and was written by Tomi Huhtanen, with research support from Elaine Larsen. The text of the book was approved by Thomas Jansen and edited by Marvin DuBois and the Communicative English editing team. Nicholas Alexandris, Roland Freudenstein, Katarína Králiková, Vít Novotný and other CES staff members were involved in the revision of the original version of the book. The final responsibility for the book lies with the CES.

Authors

Thomas Jansen was Secretary General of the European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Union of Christian Democrats (EUCD) between 1983 and 1994. Before he took up this position, he had been head of the Rome office of the Foundation. After serving as Secre- tary General, Jansen worked in the Forward Studies Unit of the European Commission. Before his retirement in 2004, he served as head of the Of- fice of the President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Steven Van Hecke is a Senior Research Fellow at the Political Science Department of the University of Antwerp and at the KADOC Centre for Religion, Culture and Society of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. He teaches comparative and European Union politics. His area of research is European integration and political parties, and he has also published on transnational party federations.

Contents

Part I – Origins and Development

Chapter One – Paving the Way: The SIPDIC, NEI and EUCD ...... 3

Chapter Two – The Founding of the EPP ...... 29

Chapter Three – Rapprochement Towards Conservative and Other Like-minded Parties ...... 49

Chapter Four – Eastward Enlargement ...... 67

Chapter Five – Merger with the EUCD and EDU ...... 85

Part II – Party Organisation

Chapter Six – The Congress ...... 109

Chapter Seven – The Political Assembly and the Presidency ...... 137

Chapter Eight – The Summit ...... 149

Chapter Nine – The General Secretariat ...... 165

Chapter Ten – Working Groups and Member Associations ...... 173

Chapter Eleven – Statute and Financing ...... 187 XII Contents

Chapter Twelve – The Centre for European Studies ...... 205

Chapter Thirteen – The EPP’s Relationship to the Group in the European Parliament ...... 219

Part III – Party Programme

Chapter Fourteen – Programmatic Profile ...... 237

Annexes 1. Political Programme, Adopted by the First EPP Congress in Brussels on 6–7 March 1978 ...... 253 2. Basic Programme, Adopted by the Ninth EPP Congress in Athens on 12–14 November 1992 ...... 283 3. ‘A Union of Values’, Basic Document Adopted by the Fourteenth EPP Congress in Berlin on 11–13 January 2001 ...... 319

Chronology ...... 353

References ...... 363

Index ...... 369

Abbreviations and Acronyms

ACDP Archiv für Christlich-Demokratische Politik AKP Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (Turkey) ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe AN Alleanza Nazionale () AP Alianza Popular () ARP Anti-Revolutionaire Partij (the ) AWS Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność (Poland) BPF Bielaruski narodny front (Belarus) CCD Centro Cristiano Democratico (Italy) CDA Christen Democratisch Appèl (the Netherlands) cdH centre démocrate Humaniste (Belgium: French-speaking) CDI Christian Democrat International CDICID Christian Democrat International Centre for Information and Documentation CDS Centre des démocrates sociaux () CDSp1 Centro Democrático e Social () CDS-PP Centro Democrático e Social–Partido Popular (Portugal) CDU Christlich Demokratische Union () CDUCE Christian Democratic Union of Central Europe CDUi2 Cristiani Democratici Uniti (Italy) CD&V Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (Belgium: Dutch-speaking) CDWU Christian Democratic World Union CEPESS Centrum voor Economische, Politieke en Sociale Studies

1 The official abbreviation for ‘Centro Democrático e Social’ is ‘CDS’. This book uses the abbreviation ‘CDSp’ to avoid confusion with the Centre des démocrates sociaux. 2 The official abbreviation for ‘Cristiani Democratici Uniti’ is ‘CDU’. This book uses the abbreviation ‘CDUi’ to avoid confusion with the Christlich Demokra- tische Union. XIV Abbreviations and Acronyms

CES Centre for European Studies CET Centre for Political Parliamentary Education and Training CHU Christelijk-Historische Unie (the Netherlands) CoE Council of Europe CoR Committee of the Regions ČSL Československá strana lidová (Czechoslovakia) CSU Christlich-Soziale Union (Germany: Bavaria) CSV Chrëschtlech-Sozial Vollekspartei () CVP Christelijke Volkspartij (Belgium: Dutch-speaking) CVP/PDC Christlich Demokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz/Parti dé- mocrate-chrétien suisse (Switzerland) DC Democrazia Cristiana (Italy) DCc3 Demokratski centar (Croatia) DEMYC Democratic Youth Council DISY Dimokratikos Synagermos (Cyprus) DP Demokratičeska Partija (Bulgaria) DSB Demokrati za Silna Bălgarija (Bulgaria) DSS Demokratska stranka Srbije (Serbia) EAEC European Atomic Energy Community EALRER European Association of Locally and Regionally Elected Representatives EC European Community ECR and Reformists ECSC European Coal and Steel Community EDA European Democratic Alliance EDC European Defence Community EDG European Democratic Group EDS European Democrat Students EDU European Democratic Union EESC European Economic and Social Committee EFLP European Federation of Local Politicians ELDR European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party ELRPU European Local and Regional Political Union EP European Parliament EPC European Political Cooperation EPP European People’s Party EPP-ED Group Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats ESCU European Senior Citizens’ Union

3 The official abbreviation for ‘Demokratski centar’ is ‘DC’. This book uses the abbreviation ‘DCc’ to avoid confusion with the Democrazia Christiana. Abbreviations and Acronyms XV

EU European Union EUCD European Union of Christian Democrats EUCDW European Union for Christian Democratic Workers EUYCD European Union of Young Christian Democrats EYCD European Young Christian Democrats FAES Fundación para el Análisis y los Estudios Sociales FG (Ireland) FI (Italy) FKgP Független Kisgazdapárt (Hungary) FPÖ Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs () GERB Grazhdani za Evropeysko Razvitie na Balgariya (Bulgaria) HDZ Hrvatska demokratska zajednica (Croatia) HDZBiH Hrvatska demokratska zajednica Bosne i Hercegovine (Bosnia and Herzegovina) HSS Hrvatska seljačka stranka (Croatia) ICDU International Christian Democratic Union IDU International Democratic Union IGC Intergovernmental Conference IRL ja Res Publica Liit (Estonia) IRI International Republican Institute JL Jaunais Laiks (Latvia) JU Junge Union (Germany) KAS Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung KDH Kresťanskodemokratické hnutie (Slovakia) KDNP Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt (Hungary) KD Kristdemokraterna (Sweden) KDS Kristdemokratiska Samhällspartiet (Sweden) KDScz4 Křesťanskodemokratická strana () KDU-ČSL Křesťanská a demokratická unie–Československá strana lidová (Czech Republic) KOK Kansallinen Kokoomus (Finland) KVP Katholieke Volkspartij (the Netherlands) LKD Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai (Lithuania) MDF Magyar Demokrata Fórum (Hungary) MEP Member of the European Parliament MOC Mouvement ouvrier chrétien (Belgium: French-speaking) MRP Mouvement républicain populaire (France) MS Moderata Samlingspartiet or Moderaterna (Sweden)

4 The official abbreviation for ‘Křesťanskodemokratická strana’ was ‘KDS’. This book uses the abbreviation ‘KDScz’ to avoid confusion with the Kristdemo- kratiska Samhällspartiet. XVI Abbreviations and Acronyms

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ND Néa Dēmokratía () NEI Nouvelles équipes internationales NSi-KLS Nova Slovenija–Krščanska ljudska stranka (Slovenia) NSNU Narodnyi Soyuz Nasha Ukrayina (Ukraine) ODA Občanská demokratická aliance (Czech Republic) ODCA Organización Demócrata Cristiana de América ODS Občanská demokratická strana (Czech Republic) OSCE Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe ÖVP Österreichische Volkspartei (Austria) PACE Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe PD Partidul Democrat (Romania) PDa Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë (Albania) PDCS Partito Democratico Cristiano Sammarinese (San Marino) PdL Il Popolo della Libertà (Italy) PD-L Partidul Democrat–Liberal (Romania) PDP Partido Demócrata Popular (Spain) Pdp5 Parti démocrate populaire (France) PDPbih6 Partija demokratskog progresa (Bosnia and Herzegovina) PES Party of European Socialists PiS Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (Poland) PLDM Partidul Liberal Democrat din Moldova (Moldova) PN Partit Nazzjonalista (Malta) PNŢCD Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin Democrat (Romania) PNV Partido Nacionalista Vasco (Spain: the Basque Country) PO Platforma Obywatelska (Poland) PP Partido Popular (Spain) PPCD Partidul Popular Creştin Democrat (Moldova) PPI Partito Popolare Italiana (Italy) PS Pilsoniskā Savienība (Latvia) PSC Parti social chrétien (Belgium: French-speaking) PSChD Polskie Stronnictwo Chrześcijańskiej Demokracji (Poland) PSD Partido Social Democrata (Portugal) PSL Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (Poland) RI Rinnovamento Italiano (Italy)

5 The official abbreviation for ‘Parti démocrate populaire' is ‘PDP’. This book uses the abbreviation ‘Pdp’ to avoid confusion with the Partido Demócrata Popular. 6 The official abbreviation for 'Partija demokratskog progresa' is 'PDP'. This book uses the abbreviation 'PDPbih' to avoid confusion with the Partido De- mócrata Popular. Abbreviations and Acronyms XVII

RMDSz Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség (Romania) RPR Rassemblement pour la République (France) RS Ruch Spoleczny (Poland) RUKH Narodnyi rukh Ukraïny (Ukraine) SDA Stranka demokratske akcije (Bosnia and Herzegovina) SDKÚ Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia (Slovakia) SDKÚ-DS Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia–Demokratická strana (Slovakia) SDS Slovenska demokratska stranka (Slovenia) SIPDIC Secrétariat international des partis démocratiques d’inspiration chrétienne SKD Slovenski Krščanski Demokrati (Slovenia) SKL Stronnictwo Konserwatywno-Ludowe (Poland) SLS Slovenska ljudska stranka (Slovenia) SME UNION Small and Medium Entrepreneurs’ Union SMK-MKP Strana maďarskej koalície–Magyar Koalíció Pártja (Slovakia) SVP Südtiroler Volkspartei (Italy: South Tirol) S&D Socialists and Democrats for Europe TOP09 Tradice, Odpovědnost, Prosperita 09 (Czech Republic) TP Tautas Partija (Latvia) TS Tėvynės Sąjunga (Lithuania) TS-LKD Tėvynės Sąjunga–Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai (Lithuania) UCP Abjadnanaja hramadzianskaja partyja Bielarusi (Belarus) UDC Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (Spain: Catalonia) UdC Unione di Centro (Italy) Udeur Unione Democratici per l’Europa (Italy) UDF Union pour la démocratie française (France) UDFb7 Săjuz na Demokratičnite Sili (Bulgaria) UDPV Unión Democrática des Pais Valenciano (Spain: Valencia) UIJDC Union internationale des jeunes démocrates-chrétiens UMP Union pour un mouvement populaire (France) UNM Ertiani Natsionaluri Modzraoba (Georgia) UW Unia Wolności (Poland) VMRO-DPMNE Vnatrešna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija– Demokratska Partija za Makedonsko Nacionalno Edinstvo (FYROM)

7 The official English abbreviation for ‘Săjuz na Demokratičnite Sili’ is ‘UDF’. This book uses the abbreviation ‘UDFb’ to avoid confusion with the Union pour la démocratie française. XVIII Abbreviations and Acronyms

VMSZ Savez vojvođanskih Mađara–Vajdasági Magyar Szövetség (Serbia) WEU Western European Union YEPP Youth of the European People’s Party ZNS Zemedelski Naroden Sajuz (Bulgaria)

List of Tables

Table 1 EPP Member Parties from Western Europe (1976–2010) ...... 50 Table 2 EPP Member Parties from Central and Eastern Europe (1989–2011) ...... 72 Table 3 EPP Congresses (1978–2010) ...... 111