Renew Europe (or simply Renew) is a liberal, centre to centre-right, pro-European political group of the European Parliament founded for the ninth European Parliament term. The group is the successor to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group which existed during the sixth, seventh and eighth terms from 2004 to 2019, and under a variety of other names in earlier Parliaments.
The group announced the adoption of its new name on 12 June 2019, after forming an alliance with the French party La République En Marche!, which wanted to avoid the word liberal in the name. The group continues to be known as the Liberal Group outside France.
History In May 2019, speaking at a debate leading up to the 2019 European Parliament election, Guy Verhofstadt, president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group, announced that, following the election, the ALDE Group intended to dissolve and form a new alliance with French President Emmanuel Macron's "Renaissance" electoral list. During and following the European elections, the group temporarily styled itself "ALDE plus Renaissance plus USR PLUS".
On 19 June 2019, it was announced that Dacian Cioloș, former Prime Minister of Romania and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, had been chosen as the group's inaugural chairman, defeating Sophie in 't Veld by 64 votes to 42 and thus becoming the first Romanian to become the leader of a European Parliamentary group. In October 2021, Cioloș resigned to return to domestic politics in Romania.
Following the resignation of Cioloș, Stéphane Séjourné announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament and, as he ran unopposed, he was elected by acclamation on 19 October 2021.Maïa de La Baume (19 October 2021), Politico Europe On 11 January 2024, Séjourné was appointed minister of Europe and foreign affairs in Gabriel Attal's government and therefore resigned from his position as chair of the Renew group.
On 25 January 2024, Valérie Hayer from French Renaissance party was elected by acclamation as leader of Renew Europe parliament group, as she ran unopposed.
In March 2024, 'New Europeans' was founded as an association under French law, bringing together Macron's Renaissance party and other French, Romanian, Slovenian, Polish and Danish parties that are inside Renew Europe, but that are not affiliated with a European party (ALDE or EDP), for a total of 22 MEPs.
Renew Europe presented three lead candidates for the 2024 European Parliament election, one for each of the three factions that form the joint group: ALDE (Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann), EDP (Sandro Gozi) and L'Europe Ensemble (Valérie Hayer).
Renew Europe also has a political group for councillors, also previously called "ALDE", in the European Committee of the Regions."Our History", Renew Europe in the CoR, accessed 11 January 2026
MEPs 10th European Parliament
State National party MEPs NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS) ALDE Reformist Movement (MR) ALDE DifferentAnders ALDE The Committed Ones (LE) EDP Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) None We Continue the Change (PP) ALDE Venstre, Denmark's Liberal Party (V) ALDE Danish Social Liberal Party (B) ALDE Moderates (M) ALDE Estonian Reform Party (RE) ALDE Estonian Centre Party (K) None Centre Party (Kesk) (Centern) ALDE Swedish People's Party (SFP) (RKP) ALDE Renaissance (RE) None Democratic Movement (MoDem) EDP Horizons None Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) ALDE IndependentBernard Guetta Independent Free Democratic Party (FDP) ALDE Free Voters (FW) EDP Party of Progress (PdF) EDP Fianna Fáil (FF) ALDE Independent Ireland (II)Éire Neamhspleách (ÉN) EDP IndependentMichael McNamara Independent Action (Az) ALDE Public Space (SP) EDP For Latvia's Development (LA) ALDE Liberals' Movement (LRLS) ALDE Freedom Party (LP) ALDE Democratic Party (DP) (PD) (DP) ALDE People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) ALDE Democrats 66 (D66) ALDE Centre Union (C) ALDE Liberal Initiative (IL) ALDE Save Romania Union (USR) ALDE People's Movement Party (PMP) EPP Progressive Slovakia (PS) ALDE Freedom Movement (GS) ALDE Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ) (PNV) (PNB) EDP Centre Party (C) ALDE Liberals (L) ALDE Total
9th European Parliament
State National party MEPs NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS) ALDE Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) ALDE Reformist Movement (MR) ALDE Movement for Rights and FreedomsDviženie za prava i svobodi (DPS)Dvizhenie za prava i svobodi (DPS) ALDE Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) ALDE ANO 2011 (ANO) ALDE Venstre, Denmark's Liberal Party (V) ALDE Danish Social Liberal Party (B) ALDE Moderates (M) None IndependentKaren Melchior Independent Estonian Reform Party (RE) ALDE Estonian Centre Party (K) ALDE Centre Party (Kesk) (Centern) ALDE Swedish People's Party (SFP) (RKP) ALDE Renaissance (RE) None Democratic Movement (MoDem) EDP Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party (PR) ALDE Horizons None Cap Ecology (CE) None IndependentJérémy Decerle Independent Free Democratic Party (FDP) ALDE Free Voters (FW) EDP IndependentGiorgos Kyrtsos Independent Momentum Movement (Momentum) ALDE Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (FF) ALDE Action ALDE Italia Viva EDP IndependentMarco Zullo Independent Development/For! (AP!) ALDE Liberals' Movement (LRLS) ALDE Democratic Party (DP) (PD) (DP) ALDE IndependentMonica Semedo Independent People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) ALDE Democrats 66 (D66) ALDE Volt Netherlands (Volt) Volt Europa Szymon Hołownia's Poland 2050 (PL2050) None Renewing Romania's European Project (REPER) None Save Romania Union (USR) ALDE Progressive Slovakia (PS) ALDE Apple None Freedom Movement (GS) None Greens of Slovenia (ZS) None Citizens (Cs) ALDE Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ) (PNV) (PNB) EDP IndependentJavier Nart Independent Centre Party (C) ALDE Liberals (L) ALDE Total
Former members The UK MEPs of the Liberal Democrats and the Alliance Party de facto left the group on 31 January 2020 when the UK left the EU. On 20 January 2021, the Renew Europe Group terminated the membership of Viktor Uspaskich, MEP of the Lithuanian Labour Party. In March 2021, Czech MEP Radka Maxová left the Renew Europe group because of disagreement with ANO 2011.
Resignation and replacement Fredrick Federley, MEP of the Swedish Centre Party, resigned on 11 December 2020 from all politics immediately. In August 2022, Søren Gade, MEP from , announced that he would stand in the upcoming general election. It was later announced that Bergur Løkke Rasmussen would replace him in the European Parliament. On 13 March 2023, he announced that he would switch his party affiliation to the Moderates.
New members In February 2020, Nicola Danti leaves the S&D group and joins Renew Europe. In March 2021, Marco Zullo, elected among the Five Star Movement (independent) leaves his party and joins Renew Europe. In May 2021, Lucia Nicholsonová, from Slovakia, then Independent at the national level but having been part of the European Conservatives and Reformists, leaves this group and joins Renew Europe."Slovak MEP Ďuriš Nicholsonová changes factions", rtvs.sk, 2021-09-05 On 10 November 2021, Renew Europe's president Stéphane Séjourné announces that the Polish political party Poland 2050 has joined Renew Europe, leading to Róża Thun joining the group."Press conference by Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Renew Europe President, on the enlargement of the group", Multimedia Centre, 2021-11-10 On 17 November 2021, Carlo Calenda joins Renew Europe following the accession of his party, Azione. Renew Europe reaches 100 MEPs. On 7 December 2021, Michal Wiezik leaves the EPP and joins Renew Europe following his transfer to Progressive Slovakia."Le député européen Michal Wiezik rejoint le groupe Renew Europe," Renew Europe, 7 December 2021 On 8 March 2022, Salima Yenbou, a French MEP from Europe Ecology – The Greens, leaves The Greens and joins Renew Europe after endorsing Emmanuel Macron in the run-up to the French presidential election.Sophie Bordier, "Seine-et-Marne : la députée européenne Salima Yenbou s'éloigne des écologistes et se rapproche des macronistes," Le Parisien, 12 March 2022 On 4 May 2022, Greek MEP Giorgos Kyrtsos leaves the EPP and joins Renew Europe."Νέα Δημοκρατία: Πώς η αλλαγή «ευρωομάδας» από τον Γιώργο Κύρτσο δημιουργεί πολιτικές εξελίξεις," ΤΟ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΙ, 5 May 2022"Μέλος της πολιτικής ομάδας Renew Europe ο Γιώργος Κύρτσος," Documento, 4 May 2022
Leadership President: Valérie Hayer (France) First Vice-president: Billy Kelleher (Ireland) Vice-presidents: Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Netherlands), João Cotrim de Figueiredo (Portugal), Irena Joveva (Slovenia), Ivars Ijabs (Latvia), Morten Løkkegaard (Denmark), Dan Barna (Romania), Anna-Maja Henriksson (Finland) Secretary General: Philip Drauz (Germany)
International cooperation On 21 January 2022, representatives of Renew Europe held a meeting with the European Party of Armenia.
References
External links
Members of the group Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions