The Party of the European Left (PEL), or European Left (EL), is a European political party that operates as an association of democratic socialist and communist political parties in the European Union and other European countries. The PEL was founded on 8–9 May 2004 in Rome. The elected MEPs from member parties of the PEL sit in The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament, though not all PEL members are also members of GUE/NGL. The current president is the Austrian politician Walter Baier.
History Before the PEL was founded, most of its members already held annual meetings together, as part of the New European Left Forum (NELF). Several member and observer parties also participated in the more radical European Anti-Capitalist Left.
The Party of European Left (PEL) was formed on 8 and 9 May 2004 in Rome, Italy. The party's first congress took place on 8 October 2005 in Athens, and 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, and elected German lawyer and politician Gregor Gysi as the new PEL President. Heinz Bierbaum was elected president in 2019. He was succeeded by Walter Baier in December 2022.
It operates a think tank, Transform Europe, and it has women's wing named EL-Fem.
In 2024, the Danish member Red-Green Alliance (Enhedlisten) announced the schism of the party and the formation of a socially liberal (green- and pro-Ukraine leaning) European Left Alliance for the People and the Planet, in short ELA. The split follows the split of socially liberal Die Linke and socially conservative BSW in Germany, and the creation of a separate platform for the 2024 European elections, Now the People.
Ideology PEL has been described as a left-wing and a far-left political party. Its ideology is based on principles of democratic socialism, socialism, and communism. It is opposed to capitalism and consists of parties with wide range of opinions. PEL is also supportive of progressivism.
It takes a soft Eurosceptic approach towards the European Union, and opposes militarization and foreign interventionism. PEL opposed the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan, and criticised the oppression of 2009 Iranian presidential election protests. It is also opposed to NATO and United States military bases. It supports Cuba, and a delegation visited the nation in February 2022.
In an interview with the political magazine Jacobin, Walter Baier, the president of PEL, described PEL as part of the "socialist left" and criticised the European Union, stating that it is neoliberal and "closer to enlightened absolutism than parliamentary democracy".
Leadership As of 2026, Walter Baier (KPÖ) is President, and David Pestieau (PVDA-PTB), Marta Martín Morán (PCE) and Hélène Bidard (PCF) are the party's Vice Presidents.
History: President: Fausto Bertinotti (2004–2007), Lothar Bisky (2007–2010), Pierre Laurent (2010–2016), Gregor Gysi (2016–2019), Heinz Bierbaum (2019–2022), Walter Baier (2022–present) Leader in the European Parliament: Francis Wurtz (2004–2009), Lothar Bisky (2009–2012), Gabi Zimmer (2012–2019), Martin Schirdewan (2019–present)
Membership The Party of the European Left consists of member parties with full rights, observer parties, individual members and EL partners. As of October 2024, The Party of the European Left has 25 member parties in 20 countries. Not all members of PEL are members of The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament.
Full members CountryPartyNational MPsMEPsCommunist Party of Austria––Workers' Party of Belgium(Chamber of Representatives)(Senate)Communists of Wallonia-Brussels––Bulgarian Left––Workers' Front––The Left––Communist Party of Finland––French Communist Party(National Assembly)–(Senate)Republican and Socialist Left(National Assembly)–(Senate)The Left(Bundestag)(Bundesrat)New Left–SyrizaWorkers' Party of Hungary 2006 – European Left––Communist Refoundation Party––The LeftParty of Communists of the Republic of MoldovaNot in the EURomanian Socialist Party––The LeftUnited Left(Congress of Deputies)(Senate of Spain)Communist Party of Spain(Congress of Deputies)(Senate of Spain)United and Alternative Left––Future Left–Swiss Party of Labour–Not in the EULeft Party–Not in the EULeft Unity–Not in the EU
Observer members CountryPartyNational MPsEuropean MEPs––Progressive Party of Working PeopleNew Cyprus Party–De facto not in the EUUnited Cyprus Party–Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia(Chamber of Deputies)(Senate)Communist Party of Slovakia––Sortu(Congress of Deputies; Basque seats)(Senate of Spain; Basque seats)
EL Partners CountryPartyNational MPsEuropean MEPsDer Wandel––Left––République et Socialisme––Marxistische Linke––Yes Solidarity for Hungary Movement––Solidarnost–Not in the EUDemocratic Left Scotland–Not in the EUSocialists for the Independence–
Former members CountryPartyNotesBelarusian Left Party "A Just World"Dissolved in 2023.Communist PartyStopped working as a Party in 2009, since December 2013 not listed as a Member.Communist Party of BelgiumResignation decided at the party congress on 30 July 2018. Pourquoi le PCB a quitté le Parti de la Gauche Européenne (PGE) — Official statement on the party website.Party of Democratic SocialismMerged into The Left in 2020.Red–Green AllianceLeft the EL in 2024.Left AllianceDelisted from the EL website in 2025.Left AllianceDelisted from the EL website in 2024.Ensemble!Dissolved in 2025.La France InsoumiseMember until 2018, observer until 2024.Left PartyLeft the EL on 1 July 2018.Unitary LeftMerged with the French Communist Party in 2015.German Communist PartyEnded its observer status on 27 February 2016.ELP-Beobachterstatus beendet – Bericht vom 3. Tag des XXI. Parteitag der DKP. Newswebsite of the Deutschen Kommunistischen Partei (DKP).Renewing Communist Ecological LeftMerged into Syriza in 2013.Hungarian Workers' PartyQuit 1 May 2009.Táncsics – Radical Left PartyDissolved in 2023.Italian LeftObserver until 2025, left to join ELA.Party of Italian CommunistsDissolved in December 2014, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.The Other EuropeDissolved in 2019, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.Young SocialistsDissolved in 2015, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.Left BlocQuit 22 June 2024.Transform PartyDissolved in 2025, merged in Your Party.
Individual members
EL also includes a number of individual members. While it has had a steadily high number of individual members, and currently the highest number, EL has not sought to develop mass individual membership.
Below is the evolution of individual membership of EL since 2019.
Funding
As a registered European political party, EL is entitled to European public funding, which it has received continuously since 2004.
Below is the evolution of European public funding received by EL.
In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, EL also raises private funds to co-finance its activities. As of 2025, European parties must raise at least 10% of their reimbursable expenditure from private sources, while the rest can be covered using European public funding.
Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by EL.
Representation in European institutions Organisation Institution Number of seats European Parliament European Commission European Council(Heads of Government) Council of the European Union(Participation in Government) Committee of the Regions (as part of ) Parliamentary Assembly
See also European Anti-Capitalist Left European United Left–Nordic Green Left Initiative of Communist and Workers' Parties List of communist parties represented in European Parliament Nordic Green Left Alliance Now the People Unified European Left Group European political party Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations European political foundation
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