Rainbow Group (1984–1989)

The Rainbow Group: Federation of the Green Alternative European Links, Agalev-Ecolo, the Danish People's Movement against Membership of the European Community, and the European Free Alliance, in the European Parliament (informally the "Rainbow Group") was a Green, far left and Regionalist political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1984 and 1989.

History
The Rainbow Group, was formed in 1984 as a coalition of Greens, Regionalists and other parties of the left unaffiliated with any of the international organizations.

The German Greens and the Dutch Green Progressive Alliance were weakened by a principle of rotation used by the Germany and Dutch parties, requiring its MEPs to sit for only half their five-year term.

In 1989 Rainbow split. The Greens went off to form the Green Group, whilst the Regionalists stayed in Rainbow. This new Rainbow had the shorter name of Rainbow Group in the European Parliament.

Nomenclature
The formal name of the 84-89 Rainbow was "Rainbow Group: Federation of the Green Alternative European Links, Agalev-Ecolo, the Danish People's Movement against Membership of the European Community, and the European Free Alliance, in the European Parliament". This is the longest name of any European Parliament Group to date.