Dick Roche, ELDR Vice President

ELDR unites nearly 60 political parties from across Europe.

The ELDR is the European political party that promotes the liberal values of freedom and individual responsibility, democracy and the rule of law, respect for human rights and tolerance, a market economy and a democratic, strong and efficient European Union.

These principles led me to bring my party (Fianna Fail) into the liberal group.

The ELDR is growing in significance. It the third largest at the European level, with 8 European Commissioners and 84 MEPs in the European Parliament sitting in the ALDE Group. Parties within ELDR lead governments in four EU member states and participating in the coalition governments in many more countries.

Freedom and Solidarity is a member of the ELDR since October of 2010. Your sister Parties within the ELDR ‘family’ are proud that your successful party is a member of the European Liberal Democrats. (more…)

The European Liberal, Democrat and Reform (ELDR) Party is the third largest European political family, bringing together parties with common liberal, democrat and reform ideas from more than 30 European countries. Its role is to strengthen the liberal democrat movement throughout Europe, assist liberal democrat politicians to become better acquainted and to define a common political vision and communicate it effectively to European citizens.

The Brussels-based Secretariat of ELDR supports the activities of the party, organises its meetings, manages its external communication, facilitates European policy development and networking amongst liberal parties. To support our growing activities, we are now seeking a:

Head of Communication

The mission:

• The Head of Communication will be responsible to develop and implement an efficient communication strategy which increases the visibility of ELDR, both internally (members) and externally (media, decision makers etc.) and raises its political impact in coherence with the global ELDR strategy;
• Collaborate actively with the party’s political unit and provide the ELDR President and Secretary General with sound advise on all communication-related issues including media;
• Spokesperson for the ELDR party with media and other external actors;
• Manage and coordinate the work of the 2/3 communication team members ensuring accuracy and coherence of messages in various communication tools and activities. (website, publications, e-newsletter, press releases and conferences, thematic campaigns, seminars etc).

Pre-requisite qualifications :

• A University degree (Political sciences, History, Economics, Law…).
• Demonstrate interest and understanding of party politics. S/He should be a member of or close to a liberal (ELDR) party.
• Several years of professional experience in Communication including internet communication tools, events, and media relation. Relevant experience acquired in other sectors is welcome.
• Fluent English and French (spoken and written).

The ideal candidate profile :

• A self-motivated person, able to demonstrate initiative and to work with autonomy;
• A strategic thinker able to drive projects and to bring them to conclusion;
• A team player with excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• A motivating people manager, able to develop the team members;
• With some experience at European level, has a thorough understanding of European politics and the workings of the EU institutions.

We offer :

• The opportunity to build visibility in a dynamic and developing environment;
• An international job based in Brussels with some travel, mainly in Europe.
• Being part of a small team (11) of dedicated people working in a professional and friendly atmosphere;
• An interesting compensation package.

For more information see www.eldr.eu

To apply, please send a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation by 30 January 2011, by e-mail to : ELDR

UD Leader Kyriacou with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and FNF's Joerg Denhert

“Political will is what is at need for the attainment of an agreement for the reunification of Cyprus and for the normalization of relations between Greece and Turkey,” said Prime Minister Papandreou during his recent visit to Cyprus.

“We also need to create conditions of trust between Greece and Turkey and between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, for without trust no legal form of an agreement will survive through time.” He also emphasized that without the prospect of accession to the European Union, Turkey will have no incentive to move towards the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

Prime Minister Papandreou said that time is of the essence, since the nature of a problem gets more complicated as time progresses. (more…)

CDL President Sean O'Curneen and ELDR Vice President Marc Guerrero

In the week-end of 21 March 2010, an interesting conference adressed the situation and future of liberalism on the Iberian peninsula. The event, which took place in the southern Spanish city of Cadiz, was organized by the European Liberal Forum (ELF), in cooperation with the German Friedrich Naumann Foundation (Germany), the Movimiento Liberal Social (Portugal) and the Catalanist and Democrat Foundation from Catalonia. (more…)

Dr Gashi MP (right) and Shpend Kallaba

The importance of this topic is crucial and a challenge to any democratic regime, whether it is well-consolidated or transitional, therefore we would like to bring in mind one sensational proverb by Napoleon Bonaparte: “I fear from the newspapers more than a hundred thousand bayonets.” Apparently, in politics this concept remains prevailing even today, but in a much more sophisticated manner. (more…)

ELDR President Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck MEP

With Lord Ralf Dahrendorf’s demise, international liberalism loses yet another personality of exceptional and towering stature. German born, he spent most of his life in the United Kingdom whose nationality he came to adopt. He presided successfully over the prestigious London School of Economics, and contributed to many newspapers and magazines. The Libdems proposed him for a life peerage and so a foreign born intellectual came to grace the House of Lords, this most British of institutions.

He participated in many congresses and meetings of Liberal International, often sharing his mostly unconventional thoughts with the audience. Listening to him was always an exquisite pleasure. (more…)