The Easter weekend marked the 40th Anniversary of formation of the Alliance of Liberal Democrats in Europe (ALDE). ALDE is a political party is formed of an alliance many of the liberal and democrat parties in Europe.
The ALDE party was founded on 26 March 1976 in Stuttgart in Germany. It was the first cross border political family. More can be read on the Stuttgart declaration at the ALDE party site but suffice to say it is based on the Oxford Manifesto of 1947 and was was formed from fourteen parties from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom as well as the International Liberal Youth Organisation and the Liberal Group in the European Parliament.
We meet twice a year to debate and vote on policy resolutions on which party policy, voted on in the European Parliament is based.
A list of the member parties for Congress and Council delegations is available here:
http://www.aldeparty.eu/sites/eldr/files/pages/12576/member-parties-congress-and-council-delegations-2016_0.pdf
The organisational structure can be seen here except that the Gender Equality Network can now put forward resolutions. This is just one of the ways in which the ALDE party as progressed the European collaboration of liberals to promote tolerance and understanding.
Happy Birthday ALDE.
Here is to the next forty years!
* Belinda Brooks-Gordon was #3 on the EU list in 2014, was a Cambridgeshire County Councillor, and is now an elected member of ALDE Council.
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Mick Taylor
9 Comments
Assuming we will be taking part in the elections to the European Parliament in 2019. I hope that our election campaign will focus on what we and our sister parties do there AS LIBERALS, rather than the rubbish campaign we ran 2 years ago which said nothing whatsoever about this, the whole point of the EP.
Well 2014 at least talked about Europe even if the way we did it was not wonderful. All previous campaigns didn’t mention the EU at all and pretended the election was about something else. We even tried a squeeze message in a PR ballot!
Next time we must really run a pan European campaign and not pretend that the EU is a land far away.
ALDE is a potent force in the EU Parliament and what it seeks to achieve in the EU is surely relevant to the present referendum campaign.
Right now the public associates LibDems only with the promulgation of scare stories about the consequences of Brexit that, however true, hardly inspire. That the EU requires substantial reform is mentioned only reluctantly, no doubt because of fear that giving examples of EU malfunction might merely serve to fuel Brexiter fervour.
LibDems should instead embrace the cause of reform. Suitably updated, the last ALDE manifesto could provide a positive, forward-looking platform that would be unique amongst Remain campaigners.
The way we did it wasn’t just “not wonderful”: it was wrong! Whether you are pro or anti EU is a domestic issue, not a European issue. And it was a serious error to have our Westminster leader (rather than our MEPs) leading the campaign, especially when the leader at the time was toxic.
The future of the EU is not a bright one.
I found the Brussels 11a useless, and how the subject of illegal retention of children was not addressed within the law. In the past I commented on the new additions proposed.
How can ignorance, and a lack of true justice be ignored? The Rights of the Child within the UNICEF guidelines are ignored.
This removed my support many years ago, and I have a European connection.
Thanks for the comments,
Alex, I sincerely hope that we will be campaigning in 2019 to get more Lib Dems elected. I am with Mick in that I was glad we were at least talking about Europe whatever the failings of the campaign.
Helen, while there are flaws and reforms needed, I believe that the EU has been a force for good. To give just one example, in the field of international adoption, countries that wished to join, (like Romania) had to demonstrate that they had more stringent adoption practices in place before they were able to join. If there are issues like Brussels 11a you think we should address in upcoming resolutions please do email me and I will explore how we can draft this issue as a resolution to get the backing of the other countries at the next council meeting.
The ALDE is the most progressive grouping in the EU.
Many voters are ignorant about how the EU works and what the ALDE has achieved. This is what the party should be campaigning on, the positives.
Currently all we are seeing is a load of scaremongering from the establishment, a Labour leader who is most likely a Brexiteer in disguise doing nothing, and hysteria whipped up about migrants, criminals and TTIP from the Brexit mob.
It is time the public heard the Liberal voice again. Britain needs it more than ever.
We are discussing the cost of access to your own child. £14, 000 is nothing to some, but permanent loss to those who can’t find the funding. Remortgage your property if you have one is another option, also to re-abduct is another growing trend. That’s just the start. You will know about other EU legal systems and just how they differ.
I’m talking about UK residents. I have also written for the Hague Judge’s, spoken in the House of Commons. Been to meetings in London, been to the Supreme Court to witness several cases. I also, have met some Family judges in London on the subject of international law.
Also, had some input into new law. Of course, you will no more about the situation than I do.
By the way, Don Foster was of no use to me, nor Sir Graham Watson, this is a very unbalanced state of law.
I went to Brussels argued with top Spanish lawyers, I found small success, I’m the only one that has seen my grandchild in 11 years.
I wanted to add one last comment, how long is too long?
Why should I support something that has not listened to me?