In the list of federal party positions up for election this autumn is the Lib Dem delegation for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe ALDE Council. The arrangements for this have changed recently, hence this post.
As an internationalist party, I am immensely proud of how, despite Brexit, the Lib Dems are still major players on the European political stage, through our membership of ALDE and in the wider world through our membership of Liberal international. The ALDE Party includes political parties from inside and outside the EU. None of the other political groups in Europe – apart from the Greens – allow non-EU parties, like ourselves, to participate as full members. In the other political groups to the left and the right of the political spectrum, non-EU parties are treated, at best, as guests or observers. However in ALDE we send delegates to both meetings of its Council and Congress, bring forward motions and participate fully in debates. ALDE is a European party not just focused on the EU.
The ALDE Council meets twice a year, to which we currently send 8 elected delegates – which include the Chair of the Federal International Relations Committee and delegation lead, a representative each from Scotland, Wales and under 26 year olds with the four remaining positions taken from the top four candidates elected by all members in the federal elections.
The ALDE Council delegates ensure that the voice of our party is heard on the European stage. It plays an important governance role at the heart of our European political family ( and which we co-founded as EDLR in 1976). Our delegation keeps in contact throughout the year and meets in the run up to ALDE Council meetings to consider motions to be submitted ourselves or to propose amendments to motions submitted by other parties. It is our responsibility to ensure that those motions we submit reflect our party policies. At the ALDE Council meeting itself we have the opportunity to ask questions and endorse political parties wishing to join our liberal political family, and generally network and build relationships with colleagues from our sister parties.
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