10 Conservative Parties in Europe You Never Knew Before

Since the Republican Party in the United States has been in the limelight for some months now, it can be hard to believe that much of the world is run by conservative, right-wing parties. These are parties that have been around for years, balancing each country’s government against liberal parties. Here are 10 conservative parties in Europe you might not have heard about before.

1 Conservative Party – United Kingdom

The Conservative Party, also known as the “Tories,” in the UK is currently the majority party in the lower house of the parliament, the House of Commons. Most often in opposition to the Labour Party, the Conservative Party is currently led by Prime Minister Theresa May.

2 The Republicans – France

Once known as the Union for a Popular Movement, The Republicans (LR) are one of the major parties in France alongside the Socialist Party (PS). From 2007-2012, Nicolas Sarkozy was the French president until Françoise Hollande (PS) won the 2012 election.

3 Christian Democratic Union of Germany – Germany

The CDC is one of four major parties in Germany- the Social Democratic Party of Germany, the Alliance Party, and the Greens. They are a center-right party that supports social conservatism. Angela Merkel, leader of the CDC, has been Chancellor of Germany since 2005.

4 The People’s Party – Spain

One of the four major parties in Spain, The People’s Party is founded on conservative, Christian ideals. The current Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, is leader of The People’s Party.

5 Moderate Party – Sweden

Known as “moderaterna” to Swedes, the Moderate Party leads the opposition party against the Swedish Social Democratic Party. According to the Nordic Council, the Moderate Party has held the post of prime minister since 2006.

6 Justice and Development Party – Turkey

As the majority party in Turkey, the Justice and Development Party is headed by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. The party is socially conservative and is based on the principles of Islam.

8 New Democracy – Greece

This party is the main center-right political party in Greece. Its major rival is the Panhelllenic Socialist Movement party. Founded in 1974, the party is now led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

8 Fidesz – Hungary

Fidesz, or the Fidesz-Hungarian Alliance, has dominated much of Hungarian politics since 2010. In 2009, the party became a parliamentary supermajority with 68 percent of the parliament’s seats, allowing the party to make many changes to the country’s constitution.

9 Austrian People’s Party – Austria

Since 1945, the Austrian People’s Party has become one of the biggest parties in the country alongside the Social Democratic Party of Austria. Much of the party’s platform is based in Christianity and socially conservative ideals.

10 National Coalition Party – Finland

One of the four major parties in Finland, the National Coalition Party was the largest party in Finnish parliamentary history from 2011 to 2015. The NCP claims to have “a firm sense of values and a will to develop Finland in a responsible way.”