64-523: The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party ( ALDE Party ) is a European political party composed of 76 national-level parties from across Europe, mainly active in the European Union . The ALDE Party is affiliated with Liberal International and a recognised European political party, incorporated as a non-profit association under Belgian law . It was founded on 26 March 1976 in Stuttgart as
128-451: A political party at European level and informally as a Europarty , is a type of political party organisation operating transnationally in Europe and within the institutions of the European Union (EU). They are regulated and funded by EU Regulation 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations, and their operations are supervised by
192-612: A European party" primarily if they are members of a European party's national member parties. As a result, many European parties have more MEPs than they have individual members. Member parties are national political parties with some form of membership described in the statutes of the European political party. In its November 2020 ACRE v Parliament ruling, the General Court of the European Union clarified that political parties outside of
256-561: A Social Democratic led government, while Hilmar Baunsgaard served as Prime Minister 1968–1971 in a coalition government with Venstre and the Conservative People's Party as partners. In the 1968 general elections the party reached an all-time high of 15% of the vote, while they only received 11.2% in the 1973 landslide election . During the 1980s the party served either as parliamentary support or as coalition partner in various Conservative led governments. After an all-time low in
320-864: A ban on the direct or indirect funding of national parties and candidates. The Regulation was later detailed by the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004 and amended by Regulation 1524/2007. In particular, Regulation 1524/2007 clarified the funding framework and changed the co-financing rate, allowing public funding from the general budget of the European Union to reach 85% of European parties' reimbursable expenditure. This change meant that European parties were only requested to provide 15% in private co-financing. Regulation 1524/2007 also allowed European parties to set up affiliated European political foundations , separate entities contributing to
384-622: A collective vote, others do not provide them with voting rights at all. Below is the number of individual members per European party, as reported by the European Parliament: Final amounts of public funding to European parties for 2021 European parties use public and private funding to finance their activities; public funding refers exclusively to funding from the general budget of the European Union , and cannot directly come from Member States or third countries, or entities under their control. With regards to public funding, each year,
448-539: A confederation of national political parties under the name "Federation of Liberal and Democrat Parties in Europe" and renamed "European Liberals and Democrats" (ELD) in 1977 and "European Liberal Democrats and Reformists" (ELDR) in 1986. On 30 April 2004, the ELDR was reformed as an official European party, the "European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party" (ELDR Party). On 10 November 2012, the party chose its current name ALDE Party, taken from its then- European Parliament group ,
512-502: A limited role. The APPF monitors donations and contributions to European political parties, and publishes a yearly list of political donors. Article 6 of Regulation 1141/2014 empowers the APPF to impose sanctions on European parties, as detailed in Article 27. The APPF can deregister a European political party if: The APPF can apply financial sanctions to a European party if: Additionally,
576-644: A long history dating back to the foundation of Liberal International in April 1947. On 26 March 1976, the Federation of Liberal and Democrat Parties in Europe was established in Stuttgart . The founding parties of the federation were the Free Democratic Party of Germany, Radical Party of France, Venstre of Denmark, Italian Liberal Party , Dutch People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Democratic Party of Luxembourg. Observer members joining later in 1976 were
640-517: A member "requires a genuine membership link with the European political party", which includes "a full range of rights and obligations [...] in particular voting/participation/access to documents" and "an appropriate membership fee". There is no legal definition of what constitutes individual membership, leading European parties to define them differently. A common trait is their absence of, or limited, input in party decision-making; some parties comprise internal bodies representing individual members with
704-503: A new category of "own resources", allowing European parties to raise private funding from specific economic activities, such as seminar fees or publication sales; funding from this new category would be capped at 5% of European parties' budget. Finally, it proposed allowing European parties to receive contributions from national member parties located in non-EU members of the Council of Europe . The European Parliament's AFCO Committee criticised
SECTION 10
#1732851214611768-655: A number of changes, including the following: In March 2019, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation 2019/493, which further amended Regulation 1141/2014. Changes focused mostly on the use of personal data by European political parties and foundations. The modalities of the implementation of the Regulation were later updated by the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 1 July 2019. In June 2021, in line with Article 38 of Regulation 1141/2014, MEPs Charles Goerens ( ALDE ) and Rainer Wieland ( EPP ) of
832-572: Is a social-liberal political party in Denmark . The party was founded as a split from the Venstre Reform Party in 1905. Historically, the centrist party has played a central role in Danish politics and has supported governments on both sides of the political spectrum , as co-operation is a primary belief of the party. A pro-European party, it is a member of Liberal International and
896-460: Is led by Ines Holzegger. In 2011, ALDE Party became the first pan-European party to create the status of individual membership . Since then, between 1000 and close to 3000 members (the numbers fluctuate annually) maintained direct membership in the ALDE Party from several EU countries. Over 40 coordinators mobilised liberal ideas, initiatives and expertise across the continent under the leadership of
960-614: Is represented in European Union institutions, with 51 MEPs and five members of the European Commission . Of the 27 EU member states , there are two with ALDE-affiliated Prime Ministers: Kristen Michal ( Estonian Reform Party ) in Estonia and Alexander De Croo ( Open VLD ) in Belgium. ALDE Party members are also in governments in ten other EU member states: Cyprus, France, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Germany and
1024-486: The 1990 general elections (where the party only received 3.5% of the vote), the party once again started cooperating with the Social Democrats under leadership of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen , participating in a coalition government in 1993. In the early 2000s, the political scene was marked by "bloc"-politics, with "blue bloc" being led by Venstre and "red bloc" by the Social Democrats. The Danish People's Party overtook
1088-637: The 2020 Danish mink cull . One day later, Martin Lidegaard became leader of the party. The Danish Social Liberal Party has traditionally kept itself in the centre of the political scale. Since the early 1990s, though, it has primarily cooperated with the Social Democrats . Internationally, the party has cooperated with the Swedish Centre Party and Liberals , the Norwegian Venstre party,
1152-715: The ALDE , and has two MEPs in the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament . The party was founded in 1905 as a split from the Venstre . The initial impetus was the expulsion of Venstre 's antimilitarist wing from the party in January 1905. The expelled members held a founding conference for the new party in Odense , on 21 May 1905. In addition to the differences over military spending,
1216-645: The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), which had been formed on 20 July 2004 in conjunction with the European Democratic Party (EDP). Prior to the 2004 European election , the European party had been represented through its own group, the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group (ELDR) Group. In June 2019, the ALDE group was succeeded by Renew Europe . As of 2024, ALDE Party
1280-562: The Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations (APPF). European political parties – mostly consisting of national member parties, and few individual members – have the right to campaign during the European elections , for which they often adopt manifestos outlining their positions and ambitions. Ahead of the elections, some of them designate their preferred candidate (known as Spitzenkandidat or lead candidate) to be
1344-767: The Danish Social Liberal Party , French Radical Party of the Left and Independent Republicans , British Liberal Party , and Italian Republican Party . In 1977, the federation was renamed European Liberals and Democrats, in 1986, European Liberal Democrats and Reformists. It evolved into the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR Party) in 2004, when it was founded as an official European party under that name and incorporated under Belgian law at an extraordinary Congress in Brussels, held on 30 April 2004
SECTION 20
#17328512146111408-795: The Federation of Liberal and Democrat Parties in Europe was founded in Stuttgart by parties from Denmark, France, Germany Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. A few months later, in July, party representatives from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands met in Luxembourg and founded the European People's Party . In 1992, Section 41 of the Treaty of Maastricht added Article 138a to
1472-489: The Great Depression of the 1930s, the party served as coalition partners along with the Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning , and managed to lead the country through the recession by implementing far-reaching social reforms. After 1945, the party continued with its pragmatic ways, influencing either as coalition partner as parliamentary support. From 1957 to 1964 they served as coalition partners in
1536-520: The Socialist People's Party , they formed a three-way government coalition . On 31 August 2014, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt nominated Margrethe Vestager as Denmark's EU Commissioner , resulting in her resignation as party leader. The party's parliamentary group subsequently elected Morten Østergaard as new leader. At the 2015 general elections , the party lost nine out of 17 seats and
1600-507: The Treaty of Rome . Article 138a (the so called party article ) stated that "Political parties at European level are important as a factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union", thus officially recognising the existence of European political parties. In 1997, the Treaty of Amsterdam established who should pay for expenditure authorised by
1664-539: The recast procedure. The Commission's document proposes a definition of political advertising, strengthens provisions on gender balance, clarifies the requirements for the display of the logo of the European political party by its member parties, and extends the obligation to comply with EU values to member parties. With regards to funding, this proposal retained the European Parliament's suggestion to lower European parties' co-financing rate (decreasing it from 10% down to 5%, and down to 0% in election years). It also included
1728-767: The 1970s, in the run-up to the first elections of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (adopted in 1976, and taking place for the first time in 1979 ). In 1973, following the enlargement of the European Community to Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, the enlarged Socialist congress met in Bonn and inaugurated the Confederation of the Socialist Parties of the European Community . In March 1976,
1792-573: The ALDE Party and its youth wing LYMEC , together with the delegates of the ALDE Party Supporters and ALDE Party Bureau members, are permitted to vote at the ALDE Congress and Council. Affiliated member parties have non-voting delegates. Demòcrates per Andorra European Parliament National groups: * observer *associate member **observer European political party A European political party , known formally as
1856-578: The Dutch Democrats 66 , and the British Liberal Democrats . The literal translation of the party's name Radical Left refers to its origin as the historically radical wing of its parent party Venstre ( Left ). In a modern context, this literal translation is somewhat misleading, as the party is considered to be centrist in the Danish political spectrum . The use of Left in the name of
1920-524: The EU could not be regarded as political parties within the meaning of Regulation 1141/2014, because they were not composed of Union citizens. In its guidance, the APPF that European parties "are free to cooperate with parties or organisations by means of ancillary forms of association (e.g., observers, partners, associates, affiliates)", but only a member can be claimed to meet the registration criteria, and only they can provide member contributions. Being considered
1984-481: The European Parliament (MEP-based funding). Additionally, public funding could not exceed 75% of a European party's reimbursable expenditure (referred to as the "co-financing rate"); this means that European parties were required to raise 25% of their budget from specific private sources ("own resources"), such as donations or member contributions. Regulation 2004/2003 also introduced transparency obligations, limitations on donations, and prohibitions on spending, including
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party - Misplaced Pages Continue
2048-564: The European Parliament , as had long been the case. This decision led the 2001 Treaty of Nice to add a second paragraph to Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (at the time, the "Treaty establishing the European Economic Community") to explicitly allow the funding of European political parties from the budget of the European Union. The new paragraph stated that "the Council, acting in accordance with
2112-624: The European Parliament allocates a total amount of money to fund European political parties qualifying for European public funding: 10% of this amount is distributed via a lump sum, allocated equally to all qualifying European parties, while 90% is distributed in proportion to each party's share MEPs. For the financial year 2025, European political parties were allocated a total of €46 million. Depending on their own application for European public funding and on their amount of "reimbursable expenses", European parties may in fine receive less than their maximum allocation. European public funding accounts for
2176-487: The European Parliament may exclude a European party from future public funding for up to 10 years if it has engaged in illegal activities detrimental to the financial interests of the Union, or has omitted information or provided false or misleading information. For "non-quantifiable infringements", the financial sanction ranges from 5 to 20% of the annual budget of the European political party, and 50% of its annual budget when it has engaged in illegal activities detrimental to
2240-472: The European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) presented a draft report on the implementation of the Regulation. With regards to funding, the draft report called on the Commission and co-legislators to clarify the definition of indirect funding from European political parties and foundations to national member parties, remove the ban on financing referendum campaigns on European issues, allow
2304-589: The European level without meeting the criteria for registration or wishing to register. They differ by their level of integration, their purpose, and their membership. Some are strongly centralised and resemble national parties but operating across Europe, such as Volt Europa or DieM25 ; they are often referred to or refer to themselves as "transnational parties" or "movements", and sometimes erroneously as "European parties". Danish Social Liberal Party The Danish Social Liberal Party ( Danish : Radikale Venstre , RV , lit. ' Radical Left ' )
2368-622: The Netherlands. Charles Michel , former Belgian prime minister, is the current president of the European Council . ALDE's think tank is the European Liberal Forum , led by Hilde Vautmans MEP, and gathers 46 member organisations. The youth wing of ALDE is the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), which is predominantly based upon youth and student liberal organisations but contains also a small number of individual members. LYMEC
2432-515: The Social Liberals' key position as prime candidate for parliamentary support. Furthermore, the DPP's anti-immigrant policies made the Social Liberals profile themselves as a progressive party being pro-globalisation, pro-EU and more tolerant towards refugees and immigrants. At the same time the party profiled itself on reforming the welfare system, campaigning to abolish "efterløn" and lower taxes. As such
2496-544: The activities of European parties and foundations starting with the financial year 2018. Since then, applications for public funding are placed with the APPF, but decisions on funding remain with the European Parliament. In May 2018, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation 2018/673, which amended Regulation 1141/2014 by detailing provisions relating to the registration of political parties and foundations, and transparency regarding political programmes and party logos. Among others, Regulation 2018/673 introduced
2560-538: The day before the enlargement of the European Union . At the same time the matching group in the European Parliament, the European Liberal Democrats and Reformists Group allied with the members of the newly elected European Democratic Party , forming the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) with a matching ALDE Group in the European Parliament . On 10 November 2012, the ELDR Party adopted
2624-417: The debate on European issues, organising conferences, and carrying out research, and linking like-minded national political foundations. Finally, the revised regulation explicitly allows European parties to finance campaigns conducted for elections to the European Parliament. In October 2014, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation 1141/2014, which replaced Regulation 2004/2003 and overhauled
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-498: The decision of the European Commission to opt for the recast method, which effectively limits discussions to the provisions of the Regulation which the Commission has decided to modify and prevents a wider review of the Regulation. In March 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted a political agreement (its own negotiating position). In July 2022, the European Parliament's AFCO Committee adopted its own position, which
2752-457: The decision-making process of the European Council through coordination meetings with their affiliated heads of state and government. They also work closely with their members in the European Commission. In addition to the registered European political parties, many other entities are politically active at the European level without meeting the criteria for registration or wishing to register. The first European political parties formed during
2816-489: The financial interests of the Union. For "quantifiable infringements", the financial sanction ranges from 100 to 300% of the irregular sums received or not reported, up to a maximum of 10% of the party's annual budget. In October 2023, the APPF sanctioned the Identity and Democracy Party for "intentionally providing incorrect information about its board composition to the public". The financial sanction applied amounted to 5% of
2880-441: The following conditions regarding European parties' governance: European political parties are mostly made up of national member parties. Additionally, European citizens can become individual members of some European parties, depending on the provisions of those parties' statutes. The count of MEPs for the purpose of European public funding is separate from the question of individual membership, as MEPs are considered "members of
2944-467: The framework for European political parties and foundations, including by giving them a European legal status. It also established the Authority for the European political parties and European political foundations (APPF), a standalone entity for the purpose of registering, controlling, and imposing sanctions on European parties and foundations. Regulation 1141/2014 applied as of 1 January 2017, and covered
3008-469: The funding of European parties from non-EU national parties (which, following Brexit, meant that political parties in the UK could no longer finance European parties), broaden the categories of private funding, decrease European parties' co-financing rate, and simplify accounting procedures. In November 2021, the European Commission proposed a text for a new regulation aimed at replacing Regulation 1141/2021, using
3072-627: The name of the alliance between the two parties, to match the parliamentary group and the alliance. On 12 June 2019, the ALDE group was succeeded by a new enlarged group, Renew Europe , which primarily consists of ALDE and EDP member parties and France's La République En Marche! (LREM). ALDE Member Parties contribute five out of the 27 members of the European Commission : Executive Vice President Competition , Commissioner Vice President Commissioner Commissioner The ALDE party has 59 full members and 18 affiliated members from EU and non-EU countries. Only delegates from full members of
3136-480: The next President of the European Commission . The work of European parties can be supplemented by that of an officially affiliated European political foundation ; foundations are independent from European parties and contribute to the public debate on policy issues and European integration. European parties' counterparts in the European Parliament are the Parliament's political groups . European parties influence
3200-533: The party article (renumbered Article 191). This provided a mechanism whereby European parties could be paid out of the budget of the European Union, and European parties started to spend the money. Such expenditure included the funding of national parties, an outcome not originally intended. In June 2000, the European Court of Auditors considered that the funding of European political parties should not be carried out using appropriations made for political groups in
3264-415: The party following allegations of sexual harassment from within the party. Sofie Carsten Nielsen was elected new leader the same day. Nielsen resigned on 2 November 2022, following the loss of nine out of 16 seats in the 2022 Danish general election . The Social Liberal Party had instigated the election by threatening a vote of no confidence against Mette Frederiksen 's government in July 2022 due to
SECTION 50
#17328512146113328-595: The party itself. On 7 May 2007 MP Naser Khader and MEP Anders Samuelsen left the party and formed the New Alliance, known today as the Liberal Alliance , along with Conservative MEP Gitte Seeberg . At a press conference on 15 June 2007, it was announced that MP Margrethe Vestager would take over leadership of the party after Marianne Jelved , and that the party would rethink its strategy. The party returned to its historical role as possible coalition partner and at
3392-510: The party served to unite a modern social profile with a more liberal economic profile. This served to appeal the more well-educated urbanised parts of the country, resulting in 9.2% of the vote at the 2005 general elections . In a 2006 press release, they tried to mark themselves as once again being able to lead a government, doing away with the presumption of the party only being able to serve as government partner or parliamentary support. The strategy proved unpopular both among voters and within
3456-487: The party's annual budget, or €47,021. As of October 2024 , there are twelve European political parties registered with the APPF: The entities below were formerly registered with the APPF. The entities below qualified at some point for European public funding; however, they were never registered with the APPF. In addition to the registered European political parties, many other entities are politically active at
3520-588: The party, as with the Norwegian party Venstre , is meant to refer to liberalism and not modern left-wing politics . The Danish Venstre was originally to the left of the conservative and aristocratic right-wing party Højre , whose name meant Right . In the European Parliament , the Danish Social Liberal Party sits in the Renew Europe group with one MEP. In the European Committee of
3584-401: The political centre of Danish politics. Vestager clarified during the run-up to the 2007 general election that her party would only be supporting a government led by the Social Democrats. Still, the party only won 5.1% of the vote. At the subsequent 2011 general elections , the party support rose to 9.5% and regained eight seats to resume a total of 17. Together with the Social Democrats and
3648-526: The political economists Henry George and John Stuart Mill . Until 1936 party was member of the International Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties . The first Social Liberal Cabinet was formed in 1909 with Carl Theodor Zahle serving as Prime Minister (1909–1910). From 1913 to 1920, Zahle led the second Social Liberal Cabinet with the Social Democrats serving as parliamentary support, keeping Denmark neutral during World War I . During
3712-440: The procedure referred to in Article 251, shall lay down the regulations governing political parties at European level and in particular the rules regarding their funding." The reference to "Article 251" refers to the co-decision procedure , which involves both the European Parliament and the Council as co-legislators. In November 2003, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted Regulation 2004/2003 "on
3776-450: The regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding". Regulation 2004/2003 provided the first official definition of European political parties and created a framework for their public funding. This framework provided that, out of a total envelope for European parties, 15% would be distributed equally (the lump sum), and 85% would be distributed in proportion to each party's number of members of
3840-443: The social liberals also took a more positive view than Venstre towards measures that aimed to reduce social inequality . The party also became the political leg of the cultural radical movement. The party was cautiously open to aspects of the welfare state , and also advocated reforms to improve the position of smallholders , an important early group of supporters. The party's social-liberal ideals are said to have been inspired by
3904-485: The steering committee, which was first chaired by Julie Cantalou. The ALDE Party took a step further in the direction of becoming a truly pan-European party when granting voting rights to individual members’ delegates at the Party Congress. Individual membership was eventually discontinued in 2023. The day-to-day management of the ALDE Party is handled by the Bureau, the members of which are: Pan-European liberalism has
SECTION 60
#17328512146113968-445: The vast majority of European parties' income. For instance, the comparison of maximum allocations and final amounts of public funding for the year 2021 was as follows: With regards to private funding, European parties mostly receive financial contributions from their national member parties, which, in turn, almost always receive public funding from Member States. Donations from legal persons and, especially, from individuals only play
4032-633: Was endorsed by the Plenary in September 2022. Trilogues between the European Parliament, Council of the European Union, and European Commission took place in September, October and November 2022, and in March 2023, but did not reach an agreement. Article 3 of Regulation 1141/2014 lists the following criteria for an entity to register as a European political party with the APPF: Additionally, Article 4 imposes
4096-516: Was reduced to 4.6%. The party lost a share of its voters to the newly formed The Alternative , a Green political party formed by former member of the party Uffe Elbæk . At the 2019 general elections , the party rose to 8.6% of the vote, doubling its number of seats to 16. Østergaard stated that he would support a government led by the Social Democrats only if changes would be made to the previous government's strict immigration policies. On 7 October 2020, Morten Østergaard stepped down as leader of
#610389