International Democracy Union

The International Democracy Union (IDU; known as the International Democrat Union until September 2023) is an international alliance of mostly centre-right political parties. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, the IDU consists of 84 full and associate members from 65 countries. It is chaired by Stephen Harper, former prime minister of Canada. It has three affiliated international organizations (International Young Democrat Union, International Women's Democracy Union and SME Global)SME Global — Small Business. Big Impact. Retrieved 9 February 2022. and six affiliated regional organizations (Union of Latin American Parties, Asia Pacific Democrat Union, Caribbean Democrat Union, Democrat Union of Africa, European People's Party and European Conservatives and Reformists Party).

The IDU allows conservative political parties around the world to establish contacts and discuss different views on public policy and related matters. Their stated goal is the promotion of "democracy and [of] centre-right policies around the globe".IDU — History. Retrieved 9 February 2022. The IDU has some overlap of member parties with the Centrist Democrat International (CDI), but the CDI is more centrist, Christian democrat and communitarian than the IDU.

The group was founded in 1983 as the umbrella organisation for the European Democrat Union (EDU), Caribbean Democrat Union (CDU), and the Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU). Created at the instigation of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and U.S. Vice President George H. W. Bush, the organisation was founded at a joint meeting of the EDU and APDU in London, United Kingdom.

Founding The IDU was founded in London on 24 June 1983. According to Richard V. Allen, to be admitted as a member, a party must qualify as a "mainstream conservative" party influenced by classical liberalism.

The founding declaration was signed by 19 persons:

Person Party Country Alois Mock Austrian People's Party Margaret Thatcher Conservative Party Helmut Kohl Christian Democratic Union of Germany Franz Josef Strauss Christian Social Union in Bavaria Jacques Chirac Rally for the Republic Andrew Peacock Liberal Party of Australia Evangelos Averoff-Tossizza New Democracy Manuel Fraga People's Alliance Oscar Alzaga People's Democratic Party Susanne Wood New Zealand National Party Glafcos Clerides Democratic Rally Ilkka Suominen National Coalition Party Lucas Pires CDS – People's Party Tatsuo Tanaka Liberal Democratic Party Ulf Adelsohn Moderate Party Erik Nielsen Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Poul Schlüter Conservative People's Party Jo Benkow Conservative Party Frank Fahrenkopf Republican Party

History and activities According to a 1985 CIA memo, the Republican Party and the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan had provided half of all funding for the organization at the time. Several leaders of member parties had gained political power with help from Arthur J. Finkelstein, such as Viktor Orbán, Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump. The IDU shares resources with its members on "campaign technology, fund-raising techniques, opinion polling, advertising and campaign organization". The Conservative Party of Canada and the Republican Party had closely collaborated on resources and strategy during the 2000s and 2010s.

Member parties Full members + Country Party Abbreviation Government Lower Chamber Upper Chamber Democratic Party of Albania PD Republican Party of Albania PR Republican Proposal PRO Liberal Party of Australia LIB Austrian People's Party ÖVP Azerbaijan National Independence Party AMIP The BPF Party BPF United Civic Party UCP New Flemish Alliance N-VA Social Democratic Movement MDS Party of Democratic Progress PDP Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina HDZ Brazil Union UNIÃO GERB GERB Conservative Party of Canada CPC / PCC Independent Democratic Union UDI National Renewal RN Social Christian Unity Party PUSC Colombian Conservative Party PCC Democratic Rally DISY Civic Democratic Party ODS TOP 09 TOP 09 Croatian Democratic Union HDZ Christian Democratic Party of Cuba PDC Assembly of the Cuban Resistance ACR Conservative People's Party DKF National Progressive Force FNP Creating Opportunities CREO Nationalist Republican Alliance ARENA Isamaa National Coalition Party Kok United National Movement UNM Christian Democratic Union of Germany CDU Christian Social Union in Bavaria CSU New Patriotic Party NPP New Democracy ND New National Party NNP Unionist Party PU Independence Party Likud Likud Forza Italia FI Brothers of Italy FdI Democratic Party of Ivory Coast – African Democratic Rally PDCI-RDA Democratic Party of Kenya DP Kenya African National Union KANU National Alliance NA Kataeb Party Lithuanian Christian Democrats LKD Maldivian Democratic Party MDP Party of Action and Solidarity PAS Democratic Party DP Istiqlal Party Rastriya Prajatantra Party RPP National Party NAT Peoples Democratic Party PDP VMRO-DPMNE Conservative Party H Democratic Change CD Partido Colorado ANR-PC Christian People's Party PPC CDS – People's Party National Liberal Party United Workers Party UWP New Democratic Party NDP Serbian Progressive Party SNS Slovenian Democratic Party SDS People Power Party PPP People's Party PP United National Party UNP Inkatha Freedom Party IFP Moderate PartyM Christian Democrats KD Kuomintang KMT Party for Democracy and Progress CHADEMA Forum for Democratic Change FDC European Solidarity All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" Conservative and Unionist Party CON Republican Party R / GOP Encuentro Ciudadano EC Project Venezuela PV

Former members – Justicialist Party – Party of Democratic Action – Croatian Democratic Union 1990 – Nationalist Democratic Action – Democrats – Union of Democratic Forces – Progressive Conservative Party of Canada – Social Christian Reformist Party – Rally for the Republic – Union for a Popular Movement – National Advancement Party – National Party of Honduras – Fidesz – Bharatiya Janata Party – Liberal Democratic Party – Lebanese Forces – Homeland Union – Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova – Movement for Changes – Conservative Party – Social Democratic Party – Union of Right Forces – Democratic Party of Serbia – United Regions of Serbia – New National Party – Liberty Korea Party – People's Alliance – People's Democratic Party

Chairmen

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical party Took office Left office Time in office 1 Alois Mock 24 June 1983 1987 Austrian People's Party 2 Kåre Willoch 1987 1989 Conservative Party of Norway 3 Carl Bildt 1992 Moderate Party 4 William Hague 19 June 1997 10 June 2002 Conservative Party of UK 5 John Howard 10 June 2002 21 November 2014 Liberal Party of Australia 6 John Key 21 November 2014 21 February 2018 New Zealand National Party 7 Stephen Harper 21 February 2018 Incumbent Conservative Party of Canada

Since 1997, all Chairmen have been part of the Anglosphere (United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada).

Regional unions In addition to being members of the UDI, political parties can also be members of one of its regional unions:

Unión de Partidos Latinoamericanos (UPLA): Union of Latin American Parties; Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU or UDAP): Democratic Union of Asia and the Pacific Caribbean Democrat Union (CDU or UDC): Caribbean Democratic Union Democrat Union of Africa (DUA or UDA): Democratic Union of Africa European Democrat Union (EDU or EDU): European Democratic Union

Leadership President: Stephen Harper (Conservative Party of Canada, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015) Vice-President: Brian Loughnane (Liberal Party of Australia) Honorary President: Lord Michael Ashcroft (Conservative Party of the United Kingdom) Executive Vice Presidents: Hon. Antonio Giordano MP (Fratelli d'Italia) Hon. Tundu Lissu (CHADEMA) Hon. Scott Morrison (Liberal Party of Australia) Rt. Hon. Dame Priti Patel MP (Conservative Party of the United Kingdom) Diego Schalper MP (Renovación Nacional, Chile) David McAllister MEP (Christian Democratic Union of Germany) Vice-presidents: Marwan Abdallah (Kataeb Party) Louisa Atta-Agyemang (New Patriotic Party) Governor Haley Barbour (Republican Party) Hon. Deborah Bergamini MP (Forza Italia) Deputy Minister Tasos Chatzivasileiou MP (New Democracy) Rt.Hon. Allen Chastanet MP (United Workers Party) Hon. Judith Collins KC, MP (New Zealand National Party) Dr. Rahhal El Makkaoui (Istiqlal Party) Carlo Fidanza MEP (ECR) Minister of State Florian Hahn MP (Christian Social Union of Bavaria) Lord Daniel Hannan (Conservative Party of the United Kingdom) Gabriel Mato MEP (Partido Popular) Julian Obiglio (PRO) Marco Solares (Unionist Party) Majority Leader Jens Spahn MP (Christian Democratic Union of Germany) Commissioner Dubravka Šuica (Croatian Democratic Union) HE Elbegdorj Tsakhiagiin (Ардчилсан нам, Democratic Party) Political advisor: Eva Gustavsson (Moderate Coalition Party, Sweden) Secretary General: Tina Mercep, Croatian Democratic Union

International Democracy Union

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