Liberal International (LI or Libintern) is a worldwide organization of liberal political parties. The political international was founded in Oxford in 1947 and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties aiming to strengthen liberalism around the world. Its headquarters are at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD, within the National Liberal Club. The Oxford Manifesto describes the basic political principles of the Liberal International, which is currently made up of 111 parties and organizations.

Liberal International
AbbreviationLI
Libintern
FormationApril 1947, constituted with the Oxford Manifesto
TypePolitical international
PurposeWorld federation of liberal political parties and organisations
HeadquartersNational Liberal Club
Location
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
90 political parties and 21 international organizations (as of May 2022)
President
Hakima El Haite
Main organ
Congress of Liberal International
Websiteliberal-international.org

Aims

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The Liberal International Constitution (2005) gives its purposes as:

to win general acceptance of Liberal principles which are international in their nature throughout the world, and to foster the growth of a free society based on personal liberty, personal responsibility and social justice, and to provide the means of co-operation and interchange of information between the member organisations, and between men and women of all countries who accept these principles.

The principles that unite member parties from Africa, America, Asia and Europe are respect for human rights, free and fair elections and multi-party democracy, social justice, tolerance, market economy, free trade, environmental sustainability and a strong sense of international solidarity.

The aims of Liberal International are also set out in a series of seven manifestos, written between 1946 and 1997, and are furthered by a variety of bodies including a near-yearly conference for liberal parties and individuals from around the world.[1]

Bureau

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The bureau of Liberal International is elected every 18 months by the delegates of the congress.[2]

The 14th president of Liberal International is Hakima el Haite of the Mouvement Populaire (Morocco), is a former Minister of Environment, UN climate champion, and climate scientist. Madam El Haite succeeded Dr Juli Minoves, formerly Andorra's foreign minister and representative to the United Nations.

Former Presidents include Hans Van Baalen MEP, John, Lord Alderdice, Dutch politician and former European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein, German politician Otto Graf Lambsdorff, and Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after Francoist Spain, Adolfo Suárez.

The secretary-general of Liberal International is Gordon Mackay, a former Member of the National Assembly of South Africa. Other members of the bureau include Deputy President Prof. Karl-Heinz Paque; and Vice Presidents Cellou Dalein Diallo (Guinea), Kitty Monterrey (Nicaragua), Abir al-Sahlani (Sweden), Kiat Sittheamorn (Thailand) and Robert Woodthorpe Browne (United Kingdom). There are two elected treasurers, Judith Pallares MP (Andorra) and Minister Omar Youm (Senegal).

Awards

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Liberal International awards prizes to individuals in the areas of human rights and liberalism.

Prize for Freedom:

The Liberal International Prize for Freedom is LI's most prestigious human rights award. Conveyed annually since 1984 to an individual of liberal conviction who has made outstanding efforts for the defence of freedom and human rights, recipients include Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela, Senator Leila de Lima of the Philippines, Raif Badawi of Saudi Arabia, Waris Dirie of Somalia and Václav Havel of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.

Medal of Liberalism:

The Liberal International Medal of Liberalism is awarded to individuals who have worked to advance liberal values on a local, national and international level. Recipients include President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg, President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe leader Sir Graham Watson of the United Kingdom.

Publications

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The LI Human Rights Bulletin is published three times per year and consists of opinion articles, video interviews and digest of the work of the LI human rights committee.

Thematic publications are published online and in print on an ad hoc basis. Recent texts have offered a liberal perspective on issues ranging from freedom of belief to the responsibility to protect.

History

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Before establishment

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Because inter-war International Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties ceased to operate in the beginning of the World War II, on 16 June 1946 representatives of the Liberal Party of Belgium, British Liberal Party, French Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party, Danish Social Liberal Party, Freedom Party of the Netherlands, Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, People's Party of Sweden, Italian Liberal Party and the representatives of Spanish Liberals in exile assembled in Brussels and adopted the Declaration of Brussels, which called for creation of world liberal organization.

Oxford Manifesto

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The Oxford Manifesto, drawn up in April 1947 at Wadham College in Oxford by representatives from 19 liberal political parties from South Africa, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Spain, Estonia, United Kingdom, United States, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Turkey is a document describing the basic political principles of the Liberal International. Creation of its main principles were led by Salvador de Madariaga.[3]

The Oxford Manifesto was inspired by the ideas of William Beveridge[citation needed] and is regarded as one of the defining political documents of the 20th century.[citation needed]

Fifty years on, in 1997, Liberal International returned to Oxford and issued a supplement to the original manifesto, The Liberal Agenda for the 21st century, describing Liberal policies in greater detail. The second Oxford Manifesto was adopted by the 48th Congress of Liberal International, which was held on 27–30 November 1997 in the Oxford Town Hall.[4] In 2017, the global federation marked its 70th anniversary with the adoption of the Andorra Liberal Manifesto for the twenty-first century (ALM). A three-year project across numerous continents initiated by then president Juli Minoves, the ALM embodied the widest consultation of views undertaken by Liberal International in order to compile a policy document.[5]

Organisation

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Presidents

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Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Country Presidency Membership
1   Salvador de Madariaga
(1886–1978)
United Kingdom
Spain (exiled)
20 April 1948 18 April 1952 Association
Mont Pelerin Society
2   Roger Motz
(1904–1964)
Belgium 18 April 1952 20 April 1958 Liberal Party
3   Giovanni Malagodi
(1904–1991)
Italy 20 April 1958 15 April 1966 Italian Liberal Party
4   Edzo Toxopeus
(1918–2009)
Netherlands 15 April 1966 25 April 1970 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
5   Gaston Thorn
(1928–2007)
Luxembourg 25 April 1970 18 April 1982 Democratic Party
(3)   Giovanni Malagodi
(1904–1991)
Italy 18 April 1982 26 April 1989 Italian Liberal Party
6   Adolfo Suárez
(1932–2014)
Spain 26 April 1989 22 April 1992 Democratic and Social Centre
7   Otto Graf Lambsdorff
(1926–2009)
Germany 22 April 1992 25 April 1994 Free Democratic Party
8   David Steel
(1938–)
United Kingdom 25 April 1994 15 April 1996 Liberal Democrats
9   Frits Bolkestein
(1933–)
Netherlands 15 April 1996 18 April 2000 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
10   Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck
(1944–)
Belgium 18 April 2000 25 April 2005 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten
11   John Alderdice
(1955–)
United Kingdom 25 April 2005 20 April 2009 Liberal Democrats
and
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
12   Hans van Baalen
(1960–2021)
Netherlands 20 April 2009 26 April 2014 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
13   Juli Minoves
(1969–)
Andorra 26 April 2014 30 November 2018 Liberal Party of Andorra
14   Hakima El Haite
(1963–)
Morocco 30 November 2018 Incumbent Popular Movement

Members

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Incumbent heads of state and government

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Full members

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LI has 90 political parties.

Country/Region Name Government Joined
  Romania National Liberal Party[6] Government 1994
  Belgium Reform Movement[6] Government 2002
Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats[6] Government 1992
  Bulgaria Movement for Rights and Freedoms Opposition 2003
  Burkina Faso Alliance for Democracy and Federation – African Democratic Rally Opposition 2006
  Burundi Alliance démocratique pour le renouveau [fr] Opposition 2009
  Cambodia Cambodia National Rescue Movement Extra-parliamentary 2006
  Canada Liberal Party of Canada[7][8] Government 1947
  Chile Evópoli[9] Opposition 2023
Liberal Party of Chile Government 2014
  Democratic Republic of the Congo Together for the Republic Opposition 2008
  Côte d'Ivoire Rally of the Republicans Government 2003
  Croatia Istrian Democratic Assembly Opposition 2014
  Cuba Cuban Liberal Union In exile 1992
Democratic Solidarity Party Opposition
National Liberal Party Opposition
  Denmark Danish Social Liberal Party Opposition 1948
Liberal Party Government 1947
  Estonia Estonian Reform Party Government 1994
  EU ALDE Group
ALDE Party
  Finland Centre Party Opposition 1983
Swedish People's Party Government 1983
  Georgia Republican Party of Georgia Opposition 2006
  Germany German Group of the LI 1947
Free Democratic Party Government 1947
  Gibraltar Liberal Party[6] Government 1997
  Guinea Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea Opposition 2012
Union of Republican Forces Opposition 2012
  Honduras Liberal Party Opposition 1986
  Iceland Progressive Party Government 1983
  Ireland Fianna Fáil[6] Government 2014
  Kenya Orange Democratic Movement Opposition 2015
  Kosovo Independent Liberal Party Extra-parliamentary 2009
Democratic Party of Kosovo Opposition 2023
  Lebanon Future Movement Extra-parliamentary 2012
  Luxembourg Democratic Party Government
  Madagascar Movement for the Progress of Madagascar Extra-parliamentary 1994
Arche de la Nation Extra-parliamentary 2017
  Mexico New Alliance Party Opposition 2006
  Mongolia Civil Will-Green Party Opposition 2009
  Montenegro Liberal Party of Montenegro Government 2014
  Morocco Constitutional Union Opposition 2003
Popular Movement Opposition 2003
  Netherlands Democrats 66 Opposition 1986
Dutch Group of LI
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy[10] Government 1960
  Nicaragua Ciudadanos por la Libertad Opposition
  North Macedonia Liberal Democratic Party Government 1994
  Norway Liberal Party Opposition 1947
  Paraguay Authentic Radical Liberal Party Opposition 2001
  Philippines Liberal Party Opposition 1989
  Portugal Iniciativa Liberal Opposition
  Russia Yabloko Extra-parliamentary 2002
  Senegal Alliance pour la République Government 2018
Rewmi Government 2015
Senegalese Democratic Party Opposition 1980
  Slovenia Concretely Extra-parliamentary
  Somalia CAHDI Party Opposition 2017
  South Africa Democratic Alliance Government 1984
  Spain Fundació Llibertat i Democràcia
  Sweden Liberals Government 1947
Centre Party Opposition 2006
  Serbia Movement of Free Citizens Opposition 2022
   Switzerland FDP.The Liberals Government 2009
  Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party Government 1994
  Tanzania Civic United Front Opposition / in coalition in autonomous region of Zanzibar 1997
  Thailand Democrat Party Opposition
  United Kingdom Alliance Party of Northern Ireland In coalition government in Northern Irish Assembly, in opposition at national level 1991
Liberal International British Group
Liberal Democrats Opposition 1989
Worldwide International Federation of Liberal Youth
International Network of Liberal Women

Observer parties

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Country/Region Name Government
  Austria NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum Opposition
  Burkina Faso Union pour le Progrès et le Changement Opposition
  Comoros Alliance Nationale pour les Comores Extra-parliamentary
  Democratic Republic of the Congo Union pour la reconstruction du Congo [fr] Opposition
  Republic of the Congo Union des Democrates Humanistes (UDH-YUKI)
  Cyprus United Democrats Extra-parliamentary
  Ghana Progressive People's Party Opposition
  Hungary Momentum Movement Opposition
  Israel Yesh Atid[11] Opposition
  Italy Italian Group of Liberal International
  Malaysia Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia In opposition
  Mali Citizens' Party for the Renewal of Mali Extra-parliamentary
Union pour la République et la Démocratie (URD)
  Mauritania Rally for Mauritania Opposition
  Moldova Liberal Reformist Party Extra-parliamentary
  Morocco Moroccan Liberal Party Extra-parliamentary
  Singapore Singapore Democratic Party Extra-parliamentary
  Suriname Democratic Alternative '91 Extra-parliamentary
  Syria Syrian Liberal Party In exile
  Tunisia Afek Tounes Extra-parliamentary
  Ukraine Holos Opposition
  Venezuela Vente Venezuela Extra-parliamentary

Individual member

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Country Name Government
  Hong Kong Mr Martin Lee – founding chairman of Democratic Party Extra-parliamentary

Cooperating organizations

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Cooperating and regional organisations are groups with a recognised status in the constitution of Liberal International as bodies that share the values and objectives of LI but do not operate as a political party. Co-operating organisations have the right of representation but in no case the right to vote at statutory events. LI has 12 cooperating organizations.

Organization Region
Africa Liberal Network Africa
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Asia
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (ALDE-PACE) Europe
Friedrich Naumann Stiftung
Fondazione Libro Aperto
Fondazione Luigi Einaudi
Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Swedish International Liberal Centre
Red Liberal de América Latina Latin America
Arab Liberal Federation MENA
National Democratic Institute North America

Liberal think tanks and foundations

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The International is also in a loose association with the following 10 organisations:

Organization Country
Centre Jean Gol Belgium
Fondazione Luigi Einaudi Italy
Fondazione Critica Liberale
Liberal Institute Germany
Teldersstichting Netherlands
The Bertil Ohlin Institute Sweden
Education Policy Institute United Kingdom
European Liberal Forum Europe
Livres (movement)[12] Brazil
Paddy Ashdown Forum[13] United Kingdom

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Constitution – Politics – Liberalism". Liberal-international.org. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  2. ^ "Bureau Members". Liberal International. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Oxford Manifesto 1947 – Manifesto – Politics – Liberalism". Liberal-international.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Oxford Manifesto 1997 – Manifesto – Politics – Liberalism". Liberal-international.org. 30 November 1997. Archived from the original on 7 February 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Andorra Liberal Manifesto - 2017". Liberal International. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Europe - Liberal International". Liberal International. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Liberal Party of Canada Welcomes Liberal International to 2009 Convention". Liberal Party of Canada. 6 March 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  8. ^ "North America - Liberal International". Liberal International. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  9. ^ Web, Editor (4 May 2023). "Evolución Política se incorpora como miembro pleno de la Internacional Liberal". Evópoli (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ "VVD is a member of LI". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011.
  11. ^ Hoffman, Gil (3 October 2021). "Yesh Atid joins Liberal International". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Livres se torna única organização brasileira na Liberal Internacional • LIVRES".
  13. ^ "63rd Liberal International Congress (75th Anniversary) in Sofia, Bulgaria 2022". Liberal International. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
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