Liberal MEP Hans van Baalen, VVD, has been elected President of Liberal International at the 56th LI Congress in Cairo, Egypt, this weekend. Van Baalen succeeded John, Lord Alderdice from Northern Ireland, Alliance Party. ELDR President and former LI President Annemie Neyts sent her congratulations by a video message. In his acceptance speech LI President Van Baalen said that it was time for LI to play rugby: `We need LI to fight for the unique liberal combination of civil liberties and the free market. This combination makes the world safe for democracy and economic prosperity. We should not be interested in the acceptance by our socialist and conservative adversaries but we should be feared by them. Liberalism should have the ambition to conquer the 21st century´. To Arab liberals Van Baalen said that the Arab world has much to offer to the region and the world if it gives up Israel as a pretext not to reform: ´Set your people free, introduce the rule of law, parliamentary democracy, equal rights for women and gays, freedom of religion and restore the traditional Arab tolerance…Arab liberals have the full support of LI to make the difference´. Juli Minoves-Triquell, Andorra, was elected Deputy President; Josep Soler, and Silver Meikar, Treasurers; Dzhevdet Chakarov, MRF, Bulgaria; Wolfgang Gerhardt, FDP, Germany; Bi-Khim Hsiao, DPP, Taiwan; Cristian David, PNL, Romania; Robert Woodthorpe-Browne, LibDems, UK and Jelko Kacin MEP, were elected as Vice Presidents.

Italia dei Valori will organise an event on behalf of ELDR on 14th November 2009, in Turin - via Santa Maria n. 1, at Palazzo Capris , "Fulvio Croce" Foundation.
The purpose of the international conference/workshop is to investigate the wide context of the “rule of law” as perceived by the people in terms of “cultural value”.
A specific area of analysis will be how organized crime affects the economic development wherever the “rule of law” is not promoted enough as a fundamental value.
Many liberal Italian personalities will attend the event. Amongst them Pino Arlacchi– ALDE MEP and Leoluca Orlando – Italia dei Valori’s MP.

LIt’s been the best result for the Reform Party of all times, and amongst all Estonian parties in the local elections– 110 275 votes.
Winning in 35 municipalities and 6 counties all over Estonia, and becoming second in 7 counties, the Reform Party won, most importantly, the e-vote, with a very original political campaign under the slogan: Me Aestimaad - I love Estonia. Please click here to see one of the videos.