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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Eurosceptic MEP group collapses | Eurosceptic MEP group collapses |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One of the main Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament, which includes Britain's UKIP, has collapsed after a Latvian MEP withdrew. | One of the main Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament, which includes Britain's UKIP, has collapsed after a Latvian MEP withdrew. |
| The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group had 48 members including the Five Star Movement of Italian politician Beppe Grillo. | |
| MEP Iveta Grigule's exit meant it no longer qualified as a group because it featured fewer than seven countries. | MEP Iveta Grigule's exit meant it no longer qualified as a group because it featured fewer than seven countries. |
| Group status means extra funds, seats on committees and more speaking time. | |
| News of the EFDD's fall was welcomed by the largest group in the parliament, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which tweeted: "First defeat for Eurosceptics! EFDD group disappears with departure of Latvian Iveta Grigule." | |
| Soon after the news broke, the EFDD website was still showing Ms Grigule as a member of the group. | |
| It was not immediately clear why the Latvian Farmers' Union MEP had left. | |
| UKIP's 24 members made up half of the group, followed by Five Star which had 17 MEPs. Other members included the Sweden Democrats, one French independent, and MEPs from the Czech Republic and Lithuania. |