Liberal International (LI) is a worldwide organisation of liberal political parties. The political international was formed in November 1946, and constituted with the Oxford Manifesto in April 1947. It has become the pre-eminent network for liberal and progressive democratic parties aiming to strengthen liberalism and democratic values around the world. Its headquarters are within the National Liberal Club, in London. The Oxford Manifesto describes the basic political principles of the Liberal International, which is currently made up of 111 parties and organisations.
Aims The Liberal International Constitution (2005) gives its purposes as: 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 the 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.
Bureau The bureau of Liberal International is elected every 18 months by the delegates of the congress.
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 14th president of Liberal International was Hakima el Haite of the Mouvement Populaire (Morocco), who 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.
The secretary-general of Liberal International is William Townsend. 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 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 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 Before establishment 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 organisation.
Oxford Manifesto 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.
The Oxford Manifesto was inspired by the ideas of William Beveridge and is regarded as one of the defining political documents of the 20th century.
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. 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.
Organisation Presidents N° Portrait Name Country Presidency Membership 1 Salvador de Madariaga United KingdomSpain 20 April 1948 18 April 1952 Mont Pelerin Society 2 Roger Motz Belgium 18 April 1952 20 April 1958 Liberal Party 3 Giovanni Malagodi Italy 20 April 1958 15 April 1966 Italian Liberal Party 4 Edzo Toxopeus Netherlands 15 April 1966 25 April 1970 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 5 Gaston Thorn Luxembourg 25 April 1970 18 April 1982 Democratic Party Giovanni Malagodi Italy 18 April 1982 26 April 1989 Italian Liberal Party 6 Adolfo Suárez Spain 26 April 1989 22 April 1992 Democratic and Social Centre 7 Otto Graf Lambsdorff Germany 22 April 1992 25 April 1994 Free Democratic Party 8 David Steel United Kingdom 25 April 1994 15 April 1996 Liberal Democrats 9 Frits Bolkestein Netherlands 15 April 1996 18 April 2000 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 10 Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck Belgium 18 April 2000 25 April 2005 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten 11 John Alderdice, Baron Alderdice United Kingdom 25 April 2005 20 April 2009 Liberal DemocratsandAlliance Party of Northern Ireland 12 Hans van Baalen Netherlands 20 April 2009 26 April 2014 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 13 Juli Minoves Andorra 26 April 2014 30 November 2018 Liberal Party of Andorra 14 Hakima El Haite Morocco 30 November 2018 2 December 2024 Popular Movement15Karl-Heinz PaquéGermany2 December 2024IncumbentFree Democratic Party
Members Incumbent heads of state and government
Full members Country/RegionNameGovernmentLegislature (or lower house)Joined Liberals of Andorra NEOS 2025Reform Movement 2002Anders 1992Alliance for Democracy and Federation – African Democratic Rally 2006 Le Faso Autrement Cambodia National Rescue Movement 2006Liberal Party of Canada 1947Evópoli 2023Liberal Party of Chile 2014Together for the Republic 2008Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace 2003Istrian Democratic Assembly 2014Cuban Liberal Union 1992Cuban Liberal Solidarity Party 2014Democratic Solidarity Party Justice Party Citizens' AllianceDanish Social Liberal Party 1948Venstre, Denmark's Liberal Party 1947Moderates Estonian Reform Party 1994Renew Europe ALDE Party Centre Party 1983Swedish People's Party 1983Republican Party of Georgia 2006German Group of the LI 1947Free Democratic Party 1947Liberal Party 1997Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea 2012Union of Republican Forces 2012Liberal Party 1986Progressive Party 1983Fianna Fáil 2014Israeli Liberal Group Orange Democratic Movement 2015Independent Liberal Party 2009Democratic Party of Kosovo 2023Future Movement 2012Democratic Party Movement for the Progress of Madagascar 1994Arche de la Nation 2017New Alliance Party 2006Civil Will-Green Party 2009Liberal Party of Montenegro 2014Constitutional Union 2003Authenticity and Modernity Party Popular Movement Democrats 66 1986People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 1960Ciudadanos por la Libertad Liberal Democratic Party 1994Liberal Party 1947Authentic Radical Liberal Party 2001Liberal Party 1989Iniciativa Liberal National Liberal Party 1994Alliance pour la République 2018Rewmi 2015Senegalese Democratic Party 1980Concretely CAHDI Party 2017Democratic Alliance 1984Fundació Llibertat i Democràcia Liberals 1947Centre Party 2006Movement of Free Citizens 2022FDP.The Liberals 2009Syrian Liberal Party - Ahrar Democratic Progressive Party 1994Democrat Party Alliance Party of Northern Ireland In coalition government in Northern Irish Assembly, in opposition at national level 1991Liberal International British Group Liberal Democrats 1989WorldwideInternational Federation of Liberal Youth International Network of Liberal Women
Observer parties Country/RegionNameGovernment Action for Andorra New Party Union pour le Progrès et le Changement Alliance Nationale pour les Comores Union des Democrates Humanistes (UDH-YUKI) Mouvement républicainProgressive Liberal Party United Democrats Girchi – More Freedom Progressive People's Party Momentum Movement Yesh Atid Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia In oppositionCitizens' Party for the Renewal of Mali Union pour la République et la Démocratie (URD) Rally for Mauritania Coalition for Unity and WelfareMoroccan Liberal Party Ruta del Cambio Singapore Democratic Party Democratic Alternative '91 Afek Tounes Holos Vente Venezuela United Party for National Development
Individual member CountryNameGovernmentMr Martin Lee – founding chairman of Democratic Party
Cooperating organisations 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 organisations.
OrganisationRegionAfrica Liberal NetworkAfricaCouncil of Asian Liberals and DemocratsAsiaAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (ALDE-PACE)EuropeFriedrich Naumann StiftungFondazione Libro ApertoFondazione Luigi EinaudiNeue Zürcher ZeitungSwedish International Liberal CentreRed Liberal de América LatinaLatin AmericaArab Liberal FederationMENANational Democratic InstituteNorth America
Liberal think tanks and foundations The International is also in a loose association with the following 10 organisations:
OrganisationCountryCentre Jean GolBelgiumFondazione Luigi EinaudiItalyFondazione Critica LiberaleLiberal InstituteGermanyTeldersstichtingNetherlandsThe Bertil Ohlin InstituteSwedenEducation Policy InstituteUnited KingdomEuropean Liberal ForumEuropeLivres (movement)BrazilPaddy Ashdown ForumUnited Kingdom
See also Liberalism by country Prize For Freedom Alliance of Democrats (defunct) European Democratic Party
References
External links