Overview

• ELA held its inaugural congress in Porto from June 13 to 15, formally entering the public arena as a new European left-wing coalition.
• Seven parties, including La France Insoumise, Podemos and Portugal’s Bloco de Esquerda, participated as founding members of the alliance.
• The new bloc launched a major drive to stop Israel’s war in Gaza and promote peace through coordinated disarmament efforts.
• The split from the Party of the European Left arose over disputes about internal governance and differing stances on Ukraine, with some members backing military aid.
• Despite the division, ELA and EL deputies continue cooperating in the Left fraction of the European Parliament as Germany’s Die Linke defers its affiliation decision until 2026.