European Parliament political group
Renew Europe (Renew) is a liberal, pro-European political group of the European Parliament founded for the ninth European Parliament term.[6] 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. Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions is the sister group of Renew Europe.
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.[7] During and following the European elections, the group temporarily styled itself "ALDE plus Renaissance plus USR PLUS".[8]
The new group announced the adoption of its name on 12 June 2019 after it formed an alliance with La République En Marche!. En Marche wanted to avoid the word liberal in the name, though the group continues to also be referred to as the Liberal Group outside of France.[9][10]
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.[11] In October 2021, Cioloș resigned to return to domestic politics in Romania.[12]
Following the resignation of Dacian Cioloş, 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.[13] 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.
International cooperation
On 21 January 2022, representatives of Renew Europe held a meeting with the European Party of Armenia.[25]
