[autom.vertaling] De Tory plannen nieuwe politieke groep na verkiezingen (en)

The British Conservatives might break away from the biggest political group in the European Parliament, the European Peoples Party (PPE) after next June's European elections and form a new Eurorealist group.

"We are targeting 75 members from present and new member states, which will allow us to be the third biggest group in the Parliament", a Tory insider told the Brussels weekly, European Voice.

The Czech Republic's biggest party, The Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Slovakia's Christian Democrat Movement (KDH) and Portugal's Partido Popular are among those having expressed an interest in joining the new group.

Since 1994 British Conservative MEPs belonged to the EPP-group in the European Parliament, which is the biggest parliamentary party holding 231 seats. The Socialists have 175 seats and the Liberals have 53.

If successful, the new group could become the third biggest political group in the European Parliament and totally transform the balance of power in the assembly, reports the European Voice.

However, EUobserver sources pointed out that a number of Tory MEPs would probably refuse to leave the PPE group, and with the risk of splitting the party's representatives in Strasbourg, any new political group was not likely to be set up.