European Democratic Party

The European Democratic Party (EDP) is a centrist European political party in favour of European integration. François Bayrou is the President of the party.
Almost all MEPs of the European Democratic Party currently sit in the Renew Europe group, except for two MEPs of the PRO Romania party, who sit in the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
The youth wing of the EDP is the Young Democrats for Europe.
As of 2020, EDP member parties participate in the government of two countries: France (Democratic Movement) and Slovenia (Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia). A European region is also led by an EDP politician, with the Basque Country being led by Iñigo Urkullu of the Basque Nationalist Party, and EDP member Free Voters participate as a coalition partner in the government of Bavaria.
History.
European Democratic Party was initiated on 16 April 2004 and formally founded on 9 December 2004 in Brussels.
François Bayrou of the French Democratic Movement (MoDem) and Francesco Rutelli, former leader of the Democracy is Freedom and Alliance for Italy parties, served as the two co-presidents until 2019. Now, François Bayrou serves as the only president.
The EDP was founded in reaction to the rising influence of Eurosceptic parties within European institutions. It drew pro-European centrist parties from the European People's Party (EPP) group to form a new centrist multinational bloc. Its co-founder François Bayrou described it as a party for people being "neither conservative nor socialist." "
Since the beginning of the 6th European Parliament of 2004–2009, the EDP has formed a joint European parliamentary group with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party called the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group. This parliamentary group was dissolved in 2019.
Members.
Members are national and regional political parties as well as members of the European Parliament, national and regional parliaments.