Europe of Nations (Group)

Europe of Nations (coordination group) or Group of Independents for a Europe of Nations
Official abbreviation	EN or I-EN (English), I-EDN (French)
Members	19/567 (1994) 15/626 (1999)
Group leaders	James Goldsmith (1994–1997) Jens-Peter Bonde (1997–1999)
founding	1994 and 1997
resolution	1996 and 1999
successor	Europe of Democracies and Differences (EDD), Union for Europe of Nations (UEN)
Alignment	EU skepticism

Europe of Nations was a political group in the European Parliament . It is considered the first group in the European Parliament to be specifically critical of the EU . It was mainly dominated by the French electoral list Majorité pour l'autre Europe, which was constituted as a party in November 1994 under the name Mouvement pour la France (MPF). The parliamentary group was also called "Villiers Group" after MPF chairman Philippe de Villiers . Another well-known member was the British billionaire James Goldsmith , who had also been elected via Villier's list and was parliamentary group leader until 1997.

The group was founded after the European elections in 1994 under the name of the Europe of Nations Group (coordination group) . When it was founded, it had 19 members. After two members of the MPF switched to the competing Union for Europe (UfE) in 1996 , the parliamentary group slipped below the minimum number of 18 members (from three countries). It was then dissolved on November 10, 1996.

After James Nicholson , the only MEP of the Ulster Unionist Party , could be won as a new member - Nicholson was previously in the EPP Group - the Group was reconstituted on January 13, 1997. It adopted the slightly changed name Group of Independents for Europe of Nations (I-EDN). Now that the group had members from four countries, the minimum number required was 14 members. The parliamentary group was able to exist until the end of the electoral term, although three other MPF politicians left the parliamentary group. In the end the group had 15 members.

In the 1999 European elections , the MPF stood on a joint list with the Rassemblement pour la France . The MPs elected from this list joined the new national-conservative parliamentary group Union for Europe of Nations . The Danish and Dutch members of the I-EDN founded a new EU-skeptical parliamentary group called the Europe of Democracies and Differences with members newly elected to parliament . Nicholson returned to the EPP Group.

Members

country	Political party	Seats	Members
Denmark	JuneBevægelsen	2	Ulla Margrethe Sandbæk , Jens-Peter Bonde
	Folkebevægelsen mod EU	2	Ole Krarup , Lis Jensen
France	Mouvement pour la France	13/8	Charles de Gaulle (until April 19, 1999, thereafter non-attached), Georges Berthu , James Goldsmith (deceased July 18, 1997), Françoise Seillier , Hervé Fabre-Aubrespy , Frédéric Striby , Philippe de Villiers (until June 15, 1997, resigned) , Anne Christine Poisson (until October 31, 1996, then UfE), Marie-France De Rose (until December 1, 1998, then EPP), Édouard des Places , Dominique Souchet , Philippe-Armand Martin (until April 14, 1996, then UfE ), Thierry Jean-Pierre (until November 18, 1998, then EPP), Eric Pinel (June 17, 1997 to May 12, 1998, successor, later non-attached), Stéphane Buffetaut (replacement from July 20, 1997), Raymond Chesa (from December 29, 1998, previously UfE, elected for RPR )
Netherlands	Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond	1	Johannes Blokland
	State-informed Gereformeerde Partij	1/-	Leen Van Der Waal (until September 1, 1997, resigned)
	Reformatory Politieke Federatie	-/1	Rijk Van Dam (from September 2, 1997, successor)
United Kingdom	Ulster Unionist Party	-/1	James Nicholson (from December 20, 1997, previously EPP)

Board

Period
July 19, 1994 - November 10, 1996	James Goldsmith
January 13, 1997 - May 12, 1997
May 13, 1997 - September 17, 1997	Jens-Peter Bonde , Georges Berthu
September 18, 1997 - July 19, 1999	Jens-Peter Bonde , Georges Berthu , Johannes Blokland