The European Democratic Party (EDP) is a centrist European political party in favour of European integration. It was initiated on April 16, 2004 and formally founded on December 9 in Brussels. François Bayrou of the Union for French Democracy (UDF) and Francesco Rutelli of Italy's Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy serve as the first two co-presidents.
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 to form a new centrist multinational bloc.
Its cofounder François Bayrou described it as a party for people being neither conservative nor socialist, like the United States Democratic Party.
Read more about European Democratic Party: Former Parties, Cooperation With ELDR
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