The European Liberal Democrat and Reform party

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform party (ELDR) is the party for liberal democrat values in Europe. Together with our liberal member parties across the European continent we are translating the principle of freedom into politics, economics and all other areas of our societies. The ELDR provides an increasingly vital link between citizens and the EU institutions and is continuously growing in size and significance.

ELDR consists of 55 member parties across Europe. Liberal Democrats created their European political family in 1976 in view of the first European elections. In 1993 ELDR was established as a true transnational political party.

Sir Graham Watson, Member of the European Parliament was elected President of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party on a two-year mandate on 25 November 2011 at the Congress in Palermo, Italy. More details on the President and seven Vice Presidents who form the bureau of the ELDR Party.

ELDR brings together 75 Members of the European Parliament from among its member parties. Together with the MEPs from the European Democratic Party they form the 3rd largest political force, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, led by Guy Verhofstadt.

2 European Prime Ministers belong to ELDR member parties: Mr. Andrus Ansip of Estonia and Mr. Mark Rutte of The Netherlands. At regional level, Mr. Artur Mas i Gavarró is the Head of Government of Catalonia.

8 out of 27 EU Commissioners represent liberal democrats:

• Mr. Siim Kallas, Vice President, Transport;
• Mrs. Neelie Kroes, Vice President, Digital Agenda;
• Mr. Olli Rehn, Vice President, Economic and Monetary Affairs;
• Mrs. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Research, Innovation and Science;
• Mr. Karel De Gucht, Trade;
• Mrs. Cecilia Malmström, Home Affairs;
• Mr. Janez Potocnik, Environment;
• Mrs. Androula Vassiliou, Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.

In 2011 (by January 2011), 19 ELDR member parties participate in 14 governments across Europe (12 EU member states).

Mission statement

In 60 years of European integration, the European Union has served us well in achieving peace, stability and prosperity. The EU has promoted and extended to half a billion people the four freedoms: the free movement of people, services, capital and goods across borders. We want the Union to play a key leadership role in tackling today’s and tomorrows global challenges.

• We strengthen the Liberal Democrat movement in the EU and throughout Europe;
• We assist Liberal Democrat politicians across Europe to become better acquainted and to define a common political vision;
• We draw up and adopt a common manifesto for the European Parliament elections.

Values & Messages

> Democracy, the rule of law, human rights, tolerance and solidarity
The ELDR Party believes in a Europe based on the fundamental Liberal principles of liberty, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, tolerance and solidarity.

> A fair, free and open society
We believe in a fair, free and open society which harnesses the abilities of each and every one of its citizens to participate fully in society, presenting them with the opportunities to fulfill their potential, free from poverty, ignorance, and discrimination.

> A prosperous Europe
To achieve these goals, we are striving to complete the internal market as a truly common economic area without internal frontiers and to reform Europe's economy to make it more prosperous and competitive, with more jobs and stable prices for consumers, based on the principle of globally inclusive international free trade.

> Sustainable development and peace in the world
We are working to promote sustainable development and to protect our environment. We are campaigning for a safe and just society, ensuring a more peaceful and stable world.

> EU enlargement
As the most consistent and long-standing advocates of an early and wide enlargement of the European Union, we are delighted to have welcomed into the Union our friends from the new Member States. We are firmly resolved to further deepen, reinforce and enlarge the European Union.

> A transparent, democratic and accountable Europe
We campaign for a more transparent, democratic and accountable Europe, taking decisions only on those matters which require European solutions. We are in favour of a systematic application of the subsidiarity principle in order to bring decision-making as close to the citizen as possible.

> A European Constitution

ELDR supports a constitutional settlement for Europe. Liberal Democrats all over Europe have always campaigned for a strong constitution as the basis of democracy.

ELDR by-laws and founding document

ELDR Party statutes

The statutes define ELDR’s fundamental purpose and liberal objectives. They also lay out the basic rules of membership and describe the nature and composition of the party’s bodies that form the party’s structure.
We invite you to read further and learn more about ELDR’s internal liberal democratic nature.
Download the statutes in pdf

ELDR internal rules

The internal rules regulate the functioning and working procedures of the Party and its different bodies. They describe in detail how the party statutes are being applied in practice.
We invite you to read further and learn more about ELDR’s rules of procedure.
Download the internal rules in pdf

ELDR founding document: Stuttgart Declaration

Our European liberal party was founded more than 30 years ago in the German city of Stuttgart in 1976. Its truly visionary founding document constitutes in detail our liberal vision of a free and liberal European Community.
As articulated by great liberal personalities back then, our vision of a prosperous, united, and strong Europe remains valid more than ever before and commits us to continue working in a liberal spirit for the citizens of Europe.
We invite you to read further and learn more about this exciting project of organized European liberalism.
Download the founding document: Stuttgart declaration in pdf

ELDR annual financial statement

The funding of the ELDR Party comes from two sources, the general budget of the European Union and its member parties' contributions. You will find enclosed the annual financial statement for previous years (from 2004 onwards) containing revenue and expenditure and a statement of assets and liabilities (as stipulated in article 6.1. of the Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding).
Download the Financial statement 2010 in pdf
Financial statements2009 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

About us

ELDR is the party for liberal democrat values in Europe. Together with our liberal members parties across the European continent we are transplanting the principle of freedom into politics, economics and all other areas of our societies. The ELDR provides an increasingly vital link between citizens and the EU institutions and is continuously growing in size and significance.

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