The political outsiders who hold the balance of power in Europe
In short: In the European Parliament, some members belong to no official group. Known as Non-Inscrits, these individuals lack the funding and committee seats granted to larger blocs, yet their shifting allegiances can cause entire political groups to dissolve overnight.
MEPs not affiliated with any official political group are termed 'Non-Inscrits'. As of May 2025, these groups spanned the political spectrum from far-left to far-reght, with eight distinct groups in existence. While these unaffiliated members may belong to national or European parties, they lack the structural advantages of group membership, such as access to state funds and specific committee seats.
Forming a new group is a significant hurdle, requiring at least 23 MEPs from seven different countries. To prevent the rise of 'groups of convenience'—temporary alliances with no shared ideology—the rules have been tightened. Previously, the Technical Group of Independents operated as such a bloc, but these are no longer permitted. This forces MEPs who cannot find ideological alignment with existing groups to remain as non-inscrits.
The stability of the Parliament is often at the mercy of these individuals. In October 2014, the number of non-inscrits surged from 48 to 100 after the departure of Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule caused the EFDD group to dissolve. Conversely, the movement of single members can trigger the formation of new blocs, such as the 'Europe of Nations and Freedom' group, which was established in June 2015 around Marine Le Pen and Marcel de Graaff.
Historically, the composition of this group has varied wildly. In some earlier parliaments, such as the 1st (1979–1984) or the 3rd (1989–1994), there was only a single non-attached member. In more recent terms, a majority of these unaffiliated members have identified as right-wing.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Non-attached members
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