The liberals have led a successful campaign in Bulgaria’s first European elections, which took place on 20th May, where more than 200 candidates were campaigning for the 18 MEP positions available. Despite a rather disappointing turnout of around 30%, ELDR member parties, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and the National Movement of Simeon II (NMSII) earned a total of 5 seats in the European Parliament. MRF achieved 4 seats with the election of Filiz Hyusmenova, Mariela Baeva, Metin Kazak and professor Vladko Paniotov and NMSII obtained one seat with the election of Biliana Raeva. Read more ...

European Liberal Democrat MEP Marco Cappato was detained by police on 27th May in Russia’s capital, Moscow, as, together with his colleague MEP Sophie In't Veld (D66, Netherlands), he tried to present a letter signed by 40 MEPs from 15 countries and 5 different political groups to Moscow's mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, protesting against his renewed ban of the Moscow Gay Pride Parade and intolerance towards homosexual people in Russia. Read more ...