Gaston Thorn was confirmed as President. The Liberals gave their opinion on :

- enlargement of the Community

- the European Monetary System

- transport policy

- human rights

- the Lomé convention.

Preparation for the 1979 election campaign

On the 8 January 1979, in accordance with a decision taken at the London Congress, the Executive Committee elected, as Vice-Presidents of the ELD, Dr. Martin Bangemann (F.D.P.) and Willy De Clercq (P.V.V.).

On 7 April 1979, the main ELD rally for the European elections was held in Luxembourg. It was attended by 1.200 Liberal politicians and delegates from the twelve member parties.

Congress summarised the main points of the ELD manifesto as follows:

- equal treatment for women

- support for small and medium-sized companies

- economic stability through progress towards economic and monetary union

- environmental protection and secure supplies of raw materials

- a more active regional policy in the EC

- the drawing up of a catalogue of basic rights by the European Parliament

- strengthening Europe's position in the Atlantic Alliance.

First direct elections, June 1979

In the first direct elections to the European Parliament the Liberal and Democratic parties achieved a 14% share of the vote, which gave them 39 of the 410 seats in the European Parliament.

The following parties were then members of the Liberal Group:

FRANCE - UFE (Union pour la France en Europe)

ITALY - P.L.I. (Partito Liberale Italiano)

ITALY - P.R.I. (Partito Repubblicano Italiano)

BELGIUM - PVV (Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang)

BELGIUM - PRL (Parti des Réformes et de la Liberté)

THE NETHERLANDS - VVD (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie)

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY - FDP (Freie Demokratische Partei)

DENMARK_ - VENSTRE (Danmarks Liberale Parti)

LUXEMBOURG - DP (Demokratesch Partei)

IRELAND - Thomas J. Maher (Independent)