View source for Party of the European Left

{{short description|Left-wing European political party}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| colorcode        = {{EUPP data|color}}
| name             = {{EUPP data|official name}}
| lang1      = Other
| name_lang1 = {{Name in various languages
 | name = {{nobold|''(in other official languages)''}}
 | de = Partei der Europäischen Linken
 | fr = Parti de la Gauche Européenne
 | it = Partito della Sinistra Europea
 | es = Partido de la Izquierda Europea
 | pr = Partido da Esquerda Europeia
 | el = Κόμμα Ευρωπαϊκής Αριστεράς
 | tr = Avrupa Sol Partisi
 | mt = Il-Partit Ewropew tax-Xellug}}
| abbreviation     = {{EUPP data|acronym}}{{efn|The abbreviation "EL" is also used.}}
| logo             = European Left logo.svg
| president        = [[Walter Baier]] ([[Austria|AT]])
| secretary_general= 
| foundation       = {{Start and end dates|2004|5|8|2004|5|9|df=yes}};<br />{{Years or months ago|2004|5}}
| headquarters     = Square de Meeûs 25,<br />1000 [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]
| think_tank       = [[Transform Europe]]
| womens_wing      = EL-Fem
| membership_year  = {{EUPP data|individual members date}}
| membership       = {{EUPP data|individual members}}
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap|
 |[[Democratic socialism]]
 |[[Communism]]
 |[[Left-wing populism]]
 |[[Anti-capitalism]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060615073739/http://www.european-left.org/about/introduction Some remarks concerning the creation of the Party of the European Left]</ref>
 |[[Soft Euroscepticism]]
}}
| position         = [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]] to [[Far-left politics|far-left]]
| europarl         = [[The Left in the European Parliament]] (majority)
| colours          = {{color box|{{EUPP data|color}}|border=darkgray}} Dark red
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202649 -->
| seats1_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats1           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EP}}
| seats2_title     = {{nobr|[[European Commission]]}}
| seats2           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EC}}
| seats3_title     = [[European Council]]
| seats3           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EUCO}}
| seats4_title     = [[National parliaments of the European Union|European<br/>Lower Houses]]
| seats4           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats5_title     = [[National parliaments of the European Union|European<br/>Upper Houses]]
| seats5           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house}}
| website          = {{EUPP data|website}}
| country          = the European Union
}}
The '''Party of the European Left''' ('''PEL'''), or '''European Left''' ('''EL'''), is a [[European political party]] that operates as an association of [[Democratic socialism|democratic socialist]] and [[Communism|communist]] political parties in the [[European Union]] and other European countries. It was formed in January 2004 for the purposes of running in the [[2004 European Parliament election]]s. The PEL was founded on 8–9 May 2004 in Rome. The elected [[Member of the European Parliament|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).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.european-left.org/english/about_the_el/introduction/|title=Some remarks concerning the creation of the Party of the European Left|publisher=Official European Left site|access-date=1 July 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002092407/http://www.european-left.org/english/about_the_el/introduction|archive-date=2 October 2009}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Hudson2012">{{cite book |last=Hudson |first=Kate |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LHv_ACE0EekC&pg=PA46 |title=The New European Left: A Socialism for the Twenty-First Century? |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-137-26511-1 |page=46}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Hudson |first=Kate |title=The Party of the European Left |date=2012 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1057/9781137265111_3 |work=The New European Left |pages=46–65 |access-date=2023-04-29 |place=London |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |language=en |doi=10.1057/9781137265111_3 |isbn=978-1-349-32054-7|url-access=subscription }}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.european-left.org/Members/mherberg/pressrelease.2007-05-04.1051619855|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701122310/http://www.european-left.org/Members/mherberg/pressrelease.2007-05-04.1051619855|url-status=dead|title=European Left - European Left Executive board meeting in Tallinn|archivedate=1 July 2007|website=www.european-left.org}}</ref> The third congress was held on 2–5 December 2010 in [[Paris]].<ref>{{cite web |title=European Left convenes third congress in Paris |url=http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/browse/5/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/european-left-convenes-third-congress-in-paris/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613195631/http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/browse/5/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/european-left-convenes-third-congress-in-paris/ |archive-date=13 June 2011 |access-date=19 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=15 September 2010 |title=Executive board met in Luxembourg: Countdown to the Congress |publisher=Party of the European Left |url=http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/zurueck/latest-news-home/artikel/executiveboard-meets-in-luxembourg-countdown-to-the-congress/ |url-status=dead |access-date=13 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613195622/http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/zurueck/latest-news-home/artikel/executiveboard-meets-in-luxembourg-countdown-to-the-congress/ |archive-date=13 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=6 December 2010 |title=EL elects new President and vice-chairpersons! |publisher=Party of the European Left |url=http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/el-elects-new-president-and-vice-chairpersons/ |url-status=dead |access-date=6 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213062119/http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/el-elects-new-president-and-vice-chairpersons/ |archive-date=13 December 2010}}</ref> Its fourth congress was held on 13–15 December 2013 in [[Madrid]].<ref>{{cite news |date=12 January 2013 |title=Convention of the 4th Congress of the Party of the European Left |publisher=Party of the European Left |url=http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/convention-of-the-4th-congress-of-the-party-of-the-european-left/ |url-status=dead |access-date=19 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130414192558/http://www.european-left.org/nc/english/home/news_archive/news_archive/zurueck/news-archive/artikel/convention-of-the-4th-congress-of-the-party-of-the-european-left/ |archive-date=14 April 2013}}</ref> Its fifth congress took place on 16–18 December 2016 in [[Berlin]],<ref>{{cite web |title=5th Congress – Berlin 2016 |url=http://www.european-left.org/5th-congress-berlin-2016 |access-date=25 December 2019 |website=Party of the European Left|date=16 December 2016 }}</ref> and elected German lawyer and politician [[Gregor Gysi]] as the new PEL President.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gysi elected president of European Left – DW – 12/17/2016 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-gregor-gysi-elected-president-of-european-left/a-36814222 |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Heinz Bierbaum]] was elected president in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 December 2019 |title=European Left Party elects Die Linke's Heinz Bierbaum as new president |url=https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/european-left-party-elects-die-linkes-heinz-bierbaum-new-president |work=Morning Star}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=European Left Congress |url=https://www.transform-network.net/fr/blog/article/european-left-congress/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www.transform-network.net |date=3 February 2020 |language=fr}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Walter Baier]] in December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morea |first=Roberto |date=2022-12-24 |title=Walter Baier, the new president of the Party of the European Left: we stand for peace and defend the environment |url=https://www.crossbordertalks.eu/2022/12/24/walter/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=Cross-border Talks |language=en-GB}}</ref>

It operates a think tank, Transform Europe, and it has women's wing named EL-Fem.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/grants/Grant_amounts_foundations%2003-2015_new%20logo.pdf|title=Grants from the European Parliament to political foundations at European level per foundation per year}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.european-left.org/who-we-are/history/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=Party of the European Left |language=en}}</ref>

In 2024, the Danish member Red-Green Alliance ([[Red–Green Alliance (Denmark)|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 [[The Left (Germany)|Die Linke]] and socially conservative [[Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht|BSW]] in Germany, and the creation of a separate platform for the 2024 European elections, [[Now the People]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Neivelt |first=Jonas |date=2024-08-27 |title=Enhedslisten forlader European Left og går med i nyt europæisk parti |url=https://solidaritet.dk/enhedslisten-forlader-european-left-og-gaar-med-i-nyt-europaeisk-parti/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Solidaritet |language=da-DK}}</ref>

== Ideology ==
PEL has been described as a [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cahill |first1=Ann |date=24 July 2014 |title=Sinn Fein adopt 'Team Ireland' approach in Europe |publisher=Irish Examiner |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-20276510.html |access-date=29 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Connoly |first1=Raul |date=1 April 2015 |title=European left backs asylum rights |url=https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.136509277853304 |journal=Green Left Weekly |issue=1050 |page=17 |issn=1036-126X |access-date=29 April 2023}}</ref> and a [[Far-left politics|far-left]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Keating |first1=Dave |date=15 May 2014 |title=The EBU candidates debate – as it happened |language=en |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/the-ebu-candidates-debate-as-it-happened/ |access-date=29 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Hudson |first=Kate |title=The Party of the European Left |date=2012 |url=https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137265111_3 |work=The New European Left: A Socialism for the Twenty-First Century? |pages=46–65 |editor-last=Hudson |editor-first=Kate |access-date=2023-10-07 |place=London |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |language=en |doi=10.1057/9781137265111_3 |isbn=978-1-137-26511-1|url-access=subscription }}</ref> political party. Its ideology is based on principles of [[democratic socialism]],<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web |last=Nordsieck |first=Wolfram |year=2019 |title=European Union |url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608032858/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html |archive-date=8 June 2017 |access-date=30 May 2019 |website=Parties and Elections in Europe}}</ref><ref name="toplisek2019">{{cite book |last1=Toplišek |first1=Alen |date=14 March 2019 |title=The Populist Radical Left in Europe |chapter=Chapter 3: Between populism and socialism: Slovenia’s Left party |chapter-url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/31138/6/03_Chapter3_Toplisek_rev_kioup-edits.pdf |page=9 |doi=10.4324/9781315180823-4 |s2cid=159164068}}</ref> [[socialism]],<ref name=":0">{{cite book |title=Routledge handbook of European politics |year=2015 |others=José M. Magone |isbn=978-1-317-62836-1 |location=[[Abingdon, Oxfordshire]] |publisher=[[Routledge]] |page=600 |oclc=898475226}}</ref> and [[communism]].<ref name="Nordsieck" /><ref name="toplisek2019" /><ref name=":0" /> It is [[Anti-capitalism|opposed to capitalism]] and consists of parties with wide range of opinions.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{cite book |last=Hudson |first=Kate |title=The new European left: a socialism for the twenty-first century? |year=2012 |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |isbn=978-1-137-26511-1 |location=[[Basingstoke]] |oclc=809796420}}</ref>{{Rp|page=46}} PEL is also supportive of [[progressivism]].<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=50}}

It takes a [[Soft Euroscepticism|soft Eurosceptic]] approach towards the European Union,<ref>{{cite book |last=Martinelli |first=Alberto |year=2020 |title=European society |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |location=[[Leiden]] and [[Boston]] |page=236 |isbn=9789004351776}}</ref> and [[Antimilitarism|opposes militarization]] and [[foreign interventionism]].<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=53}} PEL opposed the [[Iraq War]] and [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]], and criticised the oppression of [[2009 Iranian presidential election protests]].<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=53}} It is also [[List of Anti-NATO parties and organizations|opposed to NATO]] and [[United States military bases]].<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=54}} It supports [[Cuba]], and a delegation visited the nation in February 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Puig Meneses |first=Yaima |title=Díaz-Canel thanks European Left Party for its longstanding support |url=https://en.granma.cu/cuba/2022-02-16/diaz-canel-thanks-european-left-party-for-its-longstanding-support |website=[[Granma (newspaper)|Granma]]|date=16 February 2022 }}</ref>

In an interview with the political magazine ''[[Jacobin (magazine)|Jacobin]]'', Walter Baier, the president of PEL, described PEL as part of the "socialist left" and [[Criticism of the European Union|criticised the European Union]], stating that it is [[Neoliberalism|neoliberal]] and "closer to enlightened absolutism than parliamentary democracy".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baltner |first=Adam |date=21 January 2023 |title=If the European Union Doesn't Democratize, It Will Crumble |url=https://jacobin.com/2023/01/party-of-the-european-left-european-union-elections-democracy-strategy-ukraine |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=Jacobin |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Leadership==
*President: [[Fausto Bertinotti]] (2004–2007), [[Lothar Bisky]] (2007–2010), [[Pierre Laurent (politician)|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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Documents European Left 7th Congress|url=https://www.european-left.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Adopted-Documents-EL-Congress-2022.pdf|website=European-Left.org|publisher=Party of the European Left|access-date=6 March 2023}}</ref> As of October 2024, The Party of the European Left has 24 member parties in 21 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Parties|url=https://www.european-left.org/our-parties/|website=European-left.org|date=8 January 2024 |publisher=Party of the European Left|access-date=21 October 2024}}</ref> Not all members of PEL are members of [[The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL]] group in the European Parliament.<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Chryssogelos|first=Angelos-Stylianos|date=2015|title=Patterns of Transnational Partisan Contestation of European Foreign Policy|url=https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/5184/3/Chryssogelos_Europarties-and-CFSP_Feb-2015.pdf|journal=European Foreign Affairs Review|volume=20|issue=2|page=8|doi=10.54648/EERR2015017|s2cid=153490875}}</ref>

===Full members===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!colspan=2|Country
!Party
!National MPs
![[Member of European Parliament|MEP]]s{{efn|The number of MEPs listed below may not match the total number of MEPs of the European party, as it does not include MEPs who join as individual members.}}
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Austria}}
|[[Communist Party of Austria]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Belarus}}
|[[Belarusian Left Party "A Just World"]]
|–
|''Not in the EU''
|-
|colspan="2" rowspan="3" |{{flag|Belgium}}
|rowspan="2" |[[Workers' Party of Belgium]]
|{{Composition bar|15|150|{{party color|Workers' Party of Belgium}}}}<small>(Chamber of Representatives)</small>
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|1|22|{{party color|Workers' Party of Belgium}}}}
|-
|{{Composition bar|5|60|{{party color|Workers' Party of Belgium}}}}<small>(Senate)</small>
|-
|Communists of Wallonia-Brussels
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Bulgaria}}
|[[Bulgarian Left]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Croatia}}
|[[Workers' Front (Croatia)|Workers' Front]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Czech Republic}}
|[[The Left (Czech Republic)|The Left]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Estonia}}
|[[Left Alliance (Estonia)|Left Alliance]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Finland}}
|[[Communist Party of Finland (1994)|Communist Party of Finland]]
|–
|–
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=2|{{flag|France}}
|rowspan=2|[[French Communist Party]]
|{{Composition bar|8|577|{{party color|French Communist Party}}}}<small>(National Assembly)</small>
|rowspan=2|–
|-
|{{Composition bar|14|348|{{party color|French Communist Party}}}}<small>(Senate)</small>
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Republican and Socialist Left]]
|{{Composition bar|1|577|{{party color|Republican and Socialist Left}}}}<small>(National Assembly)</small>
|rowspan=2 |–
|-
|{{Composition bar|0|348|{{party color|Republican and Socialist Left}}}}<small>(Senate)</small>
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|{{flag|Germany}}
|rowspan=2|[[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
|{{Composition bar|64|630|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}}}<small>(Bundestag)</small>
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|3|96|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}}}
|-
|{{Composition bar|1|69|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}}}<small>(Bundesrat)</small>
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |{{flag|Greece}}
|[[New Left (Greece)|New Left]]
|{{Composition bar|11|300|{{Party color|New Left (Greece)}}}}
|–
|-
|[[Syriza]]
|{{Composition bar|26|300|{{party color|Syriza}}}}
|{{Composition bar|4|21|{{party color|Syriza}}}}
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Hungary}}
|[[Workers' Party of Hungary 2006 – European Left]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Italy}}
|[[Communist Refoundation Party]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Luxembourg}}
|[[The Left (Luxembourg)|The Left]]
|{{Composition bar|2|60|{{party color|The Left (Luxembourg)}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|6|hex={{party color|The Left (Luxembourg)}}}}
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Moldova}}
|[[Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova]]
|{{Composition bar|8|101|{{party color|Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova}}}}
|''Not in the EU''
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Romania}}
|[[Romanian Socialist Party (2003)|Romanian Socialist Party]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Slovenia}}
|[[The Left (Slovenia)|The Left]]
|{{Composition bar|5|90|{{party color|The Left (Slovenia)}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|9|{{party color|The Left (Slovenia)}}}}
|-
|rowspan=5|{{flag|Spain}}
|rowspan=4 style="border-left:hidden"|
|rowspan=2|[[United Left (Spain)|United Left]]
|{{Composition bar|5|350|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}}}<small>(Congress of Deputies)</small>
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|0|61|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}}}
|-
|{{Composition bar|0|266|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}}}<small>(Senate of Spain)</small>
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Communist Party of Spain]]
|{{Composition bar|7|350|{{party color|Communist Party of Spain}}}}<small>(Congress of Deputies)</small>{{efn|4 of the deputies of the Communist Party of Spain are also members of [[United Left (Spain)|United Left]]}}
|-
|{{Composition bar|0|266|{{party color|Communist Party of Spain}}}}<small>(Senate of Spain)</small>
|-
|{{flag|Catalonia}}
|[[United and Alternative Left]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Switzerland}}
|[[Swiss Party of Labour]]
|–
|''Not in the EU''
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Turkey}}
|[[Left Party (Turkey)|Left Party]]
|–
|''Not in the EU''
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|[[Left Unity (UK)|Left Unity]]
|–
|''Not in the EU''
|-
|}

===Observer members===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!colspan=2|Country
!Party
!National MPs
!European MEPs
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Belgium}}
|{{ill|Mouvement Demain|fr}}
|–
|–
|-
|rowspan=3|{{flag|Cyprus}}
|style="border-left:hidden"|
|[[Progressive Party of Working People]]
|{{Composition bar|15|56|{{party color|Progressive Party of Working People}}}}
|{{Composition bar|1|6|{{party color|Progressive Party of Working People}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{flag|Northern Cyprus}}
|[[New Cyprus Party]]
|–
|rowspan=2|''De facto not in the EU''
|-
|[[United Cyprus Party]]
|–
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|{{flag|Czech Republic}}
|rowspan=2|[[Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia]]
|{{Composition bar|0|200|{{party color|Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia}}}}<small>(Chamber of Deputies)</small>
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|1|21|{{party color|Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia}}}}
|-
|{{Composition bar|0|81|{{party color|Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia}}}}<small>(Senate)</small>
|-
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Slovakia}}
|[[Communist Party of Slovakia]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2 rowspan=2|{{flag|Spain}}
|rowspan=2|[[Sortu]]
|{{Composition bar|1|23|{{party color|Sortu}}}}<small>(Congress of Deputies; Basque seats)</small>
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|1|61|hex={{party color|Sortu}}}}
|-
|{{Composition bar|1|20|{{party color|Sortu}}}}<small>(Senate of Spain; Basque seats)</small>
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|[[Transform (political party)|Transform Party]]
|–
|''Not in the EU''
|}

===EL Partners===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!colspan=2|Country
!Party
!National MPs
!European MEPs
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|{{flag|Austria}}
|[[Der Wandel]]
|–
|–
|-
|[[LINKS (Austria)|Left]]
|–
|–
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |{{flag|France}}
|[[Ensemble!]]
|–
|–
|-
|République et Socialisme
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Germany}}
|Marxistische Linke
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2 rowspan=2|{{flag|Hungary}}
|[[Táncsics – Radical Left Party]]
|–
|–
|-
|[[Yes Solidarity for Hungary Movement]]
|–
|–
|-
|colspan=2|{{flag|Serbia}}
|Solidarnost
|–
|''Not in the EU''
|-
|rowspan=2|{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|rowspan=2|{{flag|Scotland}}
|[[Democratic Left Scotland]]
|–
|rowspan=2|''Not in the EU''
|-
|Socialists for the Independence
|–
|-
|}

===Former members===
{|class="wikitable"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
!Country
!Party
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{flag|Belgium}}
|[[Communist Party (Flanders)|Communist Party]]
|Stopped working as a Party in 2009, since December 2013 not listed as a Member.
|-
|[[Communist Party of Belgium (1989)|Communist Party of Belgium]]
|Resignation decided at the party congress on 30 July 2018.<ref>[http://www.particommuniste.be/index.php/belgique/482-pourquoi-le-pcb-a-quitte-le-parti-de-la-gauche-europeenne-pge '' Pourquoi le PCB a quitté le Parti de la Gauche Européenne (PGE)''] — Official statement on the party website.</ref>
|-
|{{flag|Czech Republic}}
|[[Party of Democratic Socialism (Czech Republic)|Party of Democratic Socialism]]
|Merged into [[The Left (Czech Republic)|The Left]] in 2020.
|-
|{{flag|Denmark}}
|[[Red–Green Alliance (Denmark)|Red–Green Alliance]]
|Left the EL in 2024.
|-
|{{flag|Finland}}
|[[Left Alliance (Finland)|Left Alliance]]
|Delisted from the EL website in 2024.
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{flag|France}}
|[[Left Party (France)|Left Party]]
|Left the EL on 1 July 2018.
|-
|[[Unitary Left]]
|Merged with the [[French Communist Party]] in 2015.
|-
|[[La France Insoumise]]
|Member until 2018, observer until 2024 
|-
|{{flag|Germany}}
|[[German Communist Party]]
|Ended its observer status on 27 February 2016.<ref>[http://news.dkp.suhail.uberspace.de/2016/02/elp-beobachterstatus-beendet/ ''ELP-Beobachterstatus beendet'' – Bericht vom 3. Tag des XXI. Parteitag der DKP.] Newswebsite of the Deutschen Kommunistischen Partei (DKP).</ref>
|-
|{{flag|Greece}}
|[[Renewing Communist Ecological Left]]
|Merged into Syriza in 2013.
|-
|{{flag|Hungary}}
|[[Hungarian Workers' Party]]
|Quit 1 May 2009.
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{flag|Italy}}
|[[Italian Left]]
|Observer until 2025, left to join [[European Left Alliance for the People and the Planet|ELA]]
|-
|[[Party of Italian Communists]]
|Dissolved in December 2014, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.
|-
|[[The Other Europe]]
|Dissolved in 2019, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.
|-
|{{flag|Poland}}
|[[Young Socialists (Poland)|Young Socialists]]
|Dissolved in 2015, which meant that the "observer status" was lost.
|-
|{{flag|Portugal}}
|[[Left Bloc (Portugal)|Left Bloc]]
|Quit 22 June 2024.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Balanço das eleições europeias e caminhos para uma esquerda forte | language=pt | trans-title=Assessment of the European elections and paths for a strong left | url=https://www.bloco.org/media/20240622resolpol.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240624120859/https://www.bloco.org/media/20240622resolpol.pdf | archive-date=2024-06-24}}</ref>
|}

=== 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.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hertner |first1=Isabelle |date=9 September 2018 |title=United in diversity? Europarties and their individual members' rights |url= https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/66c15812-8a3b-4285-8dc0-14136dd3b623|journal=Journal of European Integration |volume=41 |issue=4 |publisher=Routledge |pages=487–505 |doi=10.1080/07036337.2018.1513500}}</ref>

Below is the evolution of individual membership of EL since 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations/audit-reports-and-donations |title=Audit reports and donations |website=[[European Parliament]]}}</ref>
{{#chart:Individual members of European political parties.Line.chart
|arg:cols=year,EL
}}

== Funding ==

As a registered European political party, EL is entitled to [[Funding of European political parties#European public funding|European public funding]], which it has received continuously since 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/files/political-parties-and-foundations/european-political-parties/en-funding-amounts-parties-2025.pdf |website=European Parliament |title=Funding from the European Parliament to European political parties per party and per year |access-date=9 July 2025 }}</ref>

Below is the evolution of European public funding received by EL.
{{#chart:Evolution_of_public_funding_of_European_political_parties.Line.chart
|arg:where=party
|arg:eq=EL
|arg:cols=year,maximum_allocated,amount_received
}}

In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, EL also raises [[Funding of European political parties#Private funding|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.{{efn|For the purpose of European party funding, "contributions" refer to financial or in-kind support provided by party members, while "donations" refer to the same but provided by non-members.}}

Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by EL.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations/audit-reports-and-donations |title=Audit reports and donations |website=European Parliament |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref><ref name="epfo">{{cite web |url=https://epfo.eu/understanding-party-funding |title=EPFO - Understanding party funding |website=European Party Funding Observatory |publisher=European Democracy Consulting Stiftung |access-date=2024-02-16}}</ref>
{{#chart:Contributions raised by European political parties.Line.chart
|arg:cols=year,EL
}}
{{#chart:Donations raised by European political parties.Line.chart
|arg:cols=year,EL
}}

==Representation in European institutions==
{| class="wikitable"
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25079 -->
|-
! Organisation !! Institution !! Number of seats 
|-
|rowspan=5 | {{EU}} || [[European Parliament]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EP|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| [[European Commission]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EC|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| [[European Council]]<br /><small>(Heads of Government)</small> || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EUCO|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| [[Council of the European Union]]<br /><small>(Participation in Government)</small> ||
|-
| [[Committee of the Regions]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|COR|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| {{flag|Council of Europe}} (as part of {{wikidata|property|Q132154002|P1813}})|| [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe|Parliamentary Assembly]] || {{Composition bar|{{wikidata|property|Q132154002|P1410|P194=Q939743}}|{{wikidata|property|Q939743|P1342}}|hex={{EUPP data|color}}|per=1}}{{wikidata|references|Q132154002|P1410|P194=Q939743}} <!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132154002 -->
|}

==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]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource|Athens Declaration of the 1st Congress of the European Left Party in Athens, 2005}}
* {{official website}}

{{Party of the European Left}}
{{European political parties}}
{{Political organisations at European Union level}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Party of the European Left| ]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2004]]
[[Category:European political alliances]]
[[Category:European political parties]]
[[Category:International organisations based in Belgium]]
[[Category:Socialist parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Democratic socialism in Europe]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Eurosceptic parties]]