Author Archives: Liberal Democrat International Office

Liberal Democrat International Office

Fighting for liberalism at home and abroad: Liberal Democrat International Office’s highlights of 2015

By Liberal Democrat International Office | Fri 18th December 2015 - 2:45 pm

International Office_with textWith the current turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa and the rise of nationalism across Europe, the need for a liberal voice in politics has never been greater. It is the goal of the Liberal Democrat International Office to support liberal parties to champion liberalism in their home countries and strengthen our relationships with the party’s international partners. Our work ensures the Liberal Democrats remain at the forefront of the battle for liberalism both at home and abroad.

ALDE group photo

The International Office team (left to right: Harriet Shone, Isabelle Pucher, Nick Thorne, Derya Ozgun and Iain Gill) at the ALDE Congress in Budapest, managing Baroness Ros Scott’s successful election campaign as ALDE Vice President.

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Posted in Europe / International and Op-eds | Tagged | 2 Comments
Liberal Democrat International Office

Liberals gather in Bournemouth to pioneer new strategies to rebuild and win again

By Liberal Democrat International Office | Fri 9th October 2015 - 10:25 am

International Office_with textFollowing the UK General Election on May 7, the Liberal Democrats have taken stock, rallied the membership and elected a new Party Leader, Tim Farron. With 20,000 members having joined the Party since May and 3 recent council election victories, the #libdemfightback is well underway. Liberal parties across Europe have faced challenging elections in the recent past, and it is essential that we share our experiences and learn from both each others’ mistakes and winning strategies.

In order to kick-start this debate, the Liberal Democrats International Office brought together a distinguished panel, including Hans van Baalen, ALDE Vice President, MP and MEP for VVD and former President of Liberal International, Annelou van Egmond, the D66 Director of Communications and key architect of the Party’s revival, Hans Stein, the Head of International Relations for the German FDP; Khatuna Samnidze, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Georgia, and Victoria Marsom, the Head of Strategic Seat Operation for the Liberal Democrats. In the chair was Iain Gill, Head of the Liberal Democrats International Office. 

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 3 Comments
Liberal Democrat International Office

The battle for a better Europe starts in Bournemouth

By Liberal Democrat International Office | Thu 8th October 2015 - 8:59 am

International Office_with textWith the EU-referendum likely to be less than a year away and the prospect of a Brexit a real and frightening possibility, the question of Britain’s role in Europe is more pressing than ever. The European Union was one of the most widely discussed issues at the conference, including the official launch of the Lib Dem Remain campaign.

In order to bring a more international perspective and explore the issues further, the Liberal Democrats International Office brought together a distinguished panel consisting of Sir Graham Watson, President of the ALDE Party and former Liberal Democrat MEP, Andrew Duff, Former Liberal Democrat MEP, Catherine Bearder, Liberal Democrat MEP and Lucy Thomas, Campaign Director for Business for a New Europe (BNE). The event was chaired by Baroness Julie Smith, Lib Dem Spokesperson on Defence in the House of Lords.

Opening the debate in front of a huge audience in a packed room, Iain Gill, Head of the Lib Dems International Office, emphasised the importance of EU membership to the UK, and the crucial role that liberal networks such as ALDE and Liberal International will play in campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 30 Comments
Liberal Democrat International Office

International Office welcomes young Liberals from around the world to Autumn Conference

By Liberal Democrat International Office | Wed 26th August 2015 - 8:55 am

International Office_with textThis year, the International Office is bringing a delegation of eight young liberals from around the world to take part in a Youth Leadership Programme, hosted at Party Conference in Bournemouth.

Our Youth Leadership Programme aims to develop a diverse group of young activists, and especially young candidates for elected office, with strong leadership and political skills and the capabilities to succeed as future leaders.

Participants in this programme come from diverse background and represent liberal parties and groups in Palestine, Egypt, Georgia, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco and Bosnia.

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Posted in Conference and News | Tagged and | 2 Comments
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