Economies in Europe are facing both external and internal pressures that have strained the sustainability of the European social model(s). The European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) party organised a hearing with the renowned economist André Sapir on 6 February 2006 to discuss how Europe can preserve its social model whilst at the same time boosting its growth. Participants agreed that labour market reform is needed to help Europe adapt to the changes of globalization. Read more ...

 In support of freedom and democracy in Belarus, the European Liberal Democrats and their youth organization LYMEC organized, in the premises of the ELDR Party in Brussels, an exhibition of photos from Belarus presidential elections, taken by Gerald G. Folly, young liberal from Austria. The exhibition features the passion and endurance of the pro-democracy demonstrators in the capital Minsk immediately after the mock elections took place. Gerald Folly was the only member of LYMEC Election Observation Mission who managed to get into Belarus, after other members of the LYMEC Mission saw their visa applications denied by Lukashenko’s regime. Read more ...

The ELDR Council convened at the Riksdagen (Swedish Parliament) in Stockholm on 5 th May to discuss the future of Europe. This debate took place in the context of the Liberal Democrat vision for a modern and motivating EU, which is being composed by ELDR and its member parties.ELDR Party President, Annemie Neyts opened the discussion by informing the delegates on the progress towards establishing a Liberal Democrat vision for a modern and motivating EU. She underlined a large consensus on many issues, notably on the liberals’ positive approach to further EU enlargement. She highlighted four issues on which further discussion was needed: - the future of the Constitutional Treaty; - The future of the Common Agricultural Policy; - Social protection; - And the competences of the EU Commenting on the future steps to form the new Liberal Democrat vision for a modern and motivating EU, Annemie Neyts explained that Liberal Democrats will face the fundamental choice between “following or forming public opinion”. “We need to come up with a strong and convincing statement on what the EU is for in the 21 st century”, she said. Read more ...