Libertas was a European political party founded by Declan Ganley that took part in the 2009 European Parliament election in several member states of the European Union. It won one seat in France.
History
Creation
In 2008, the Libertas Institute Limited, a lobby group founded by Declan Ganley and others, advocated a "no" vote in Lisbon I, the 2008 referendum in Ireland on the Treaty of Lisbon. Lisbon I failed. The referendum was held on 12 June 2008 and defeated by 53.4% to 46.6%, with a turnout of 53.1%.
Libertas held a post-referendum celebration in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin on the night of Friday, 13 June 2008."Europe caught in our offside trap", Sunday Times, 15 June 2008 Attending that celebration was Danish Eurosceptic"Lisbon treaty to bring more power to officials-critics in Prague", 13 January 2009, ČeskéNoviny.cz and former President of the EUDemocrats"Bonde calls for Referendum in 2009" , EUDemocrats press release, 22 July 2008 and recently retired MEP Jens-Peter Bonde, who had been a "no" campaigner during the referendum. Bonde was later cited as one of the main architects of the upgrading of Libertas to a European political party."Anti-Lisbon party obtains EU recognition and funding" , EurActive.com, 3 February 2009"Libertas set to emerge as political party as candidates unveiled" , 2 February 2009
On 15 July 2008, RTÉ News on Two covered Ganley's comments at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., where he stated that Libertas intended running as a European political party. The next day Ganley confirmed that Libertas was fundraising in order to run candidates throughout Europe in the 2009 European Parliament elections."Libertas may contest European elections" Irish Times, 16 July 2008
On 20 September 2008, The Irish Times reported"Eurosceptics to help Ganley if he is MEP candidate", The Irish Times, 20 September 2008 that Bonde and Czech president Václav Klaus pledged to help Ganley to launch Libertas. The two were later amongst the guests at a dinner hosted by Ganley at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on 11 November 2008."Ganley's dinner party was a meeting of minds" Irish Times, 13 November 2008
On 30 October 2008, Ganley registered a company based in Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway called the Libertas Party Limited. The Irish Times reported that the new party was intended to "carry on the business of a European political party". The party was publicly announced in December 2008"Libertas to seek a Euro majority", The Sunday Times, 13 December 2008 with ambitions to field up to 400 candidates and win seats in all 27 EU member states.
In early 2009, Libertas applied to be recognised by the European Parliament as a Europena political party. The application was briefly successful; however, it was suspended indefinitely amidst controversy.
Pan-European expansion
Ganley then travelled around Europe to set up Libertas lists and parties for the 2009 European Parliament election.Arnold, Bruce (2009). The Fight for Democracy – The Libertas Voice in Europe. A series of interviews with Declan Ganley by Bruce Arnold. . Killynon House Books Ltd. In November 2008 Libertas opened its Brussels office.Ganley's Brussels office opens for business Libertas launched in France on 12 February 2009, the Netherlands on 15 April, followed by several other European Union member states.Libertas website On 1 May 2009, Libertas held its first pan-European convention in RomeLibertas Party Convention, Rome in time for the European Parliament elections in June, when it fielded hundreds of candidates for election.
Austria In Austria, Libertas was rejected by both Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) as well as by the independent Hans-Peter Martin. Martin announced after talks and serious considerations, that he would rather remain independent,"Martin stiffs Irish ´Libertas´" , 5 March 2009, from Austrian Times which he successfully did. FPÖ harshly rebuffed Ganley's advances associating his activism with an alleged American conspiracy."Mölzer: In Österreich gibt es nur eine EU-kritische Partei, und das ist die FPÖ" The initially noncommital BZÖ later also declined, preferring a loose cooperation in the European Parliament."BZÖ wünscht sich Kooperation mit Libertas", Der Standard, 27 April 2009
Bulgaria An electoral list called "Libertas: Free Citizens" () was formed by some 30 national and local Non-governmental organizations."ЕВРОСКЕПТИЦИТЕ ОТ „ЛИБЕРТАС" ПУСНАХА КОРЕНИ В БЪЛГАРИЯ" , 28 April 2009, from http://www.bulgaria-news.bg and "Чернев отива на евровота с “Либертас"" , 4 May 2009, from http://www.monitor.bg Pavel Chernev's Freedom Party that had announced to join the list was repudiated by Libertas. However, the submitted list was later rejected by the Bulgarian electoral commission."Определиха номерата на бюлетините за евроизборите", 13 May 2009, from http://www.econ.bg/ and "Ballot-paper Numbers are Now Clear" , 13 May 2009, from http://parliament.europe.bg An appeal filed by Nikolay Bliznakov was turned down by Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court on the grounds that the list had not proven the required deposit had not given the names of its constituent parties."ВАС отхвърли жалбата на коалиция „Либертас: Свободните граждани" срещу решението на ЦИКЕП, с което е отказана регистрация на коалицията" , from http://www.sac.government.bg/ , see also: "ВАС потвърди отказа за регистрация на „Либертас: Свободните граждани", 15 May 2009, from http://www.blitz.bg/ In the meantime, Bulgarian businessman Hristo Atanassov founded a party under the name Libertas Bulgaria which has no connection to the Libertas network.
Czech Republic Right after the preliminary rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland, Declan Ganley, founder of the European Libertas.eu, was guest of Czech President Václav Klaus"Irish receive Czech prize for rejection of Lisbon treaty " 6 November 2008, Prague Monitor The Czech eStat.cz civic group had ambitions to replicate Libertas's success"Think-tank: Lisbon Treaty brings new imperialism" 4 November 2008, Prague Monitor and awarded the Irish electorate the Michal Tošovský Prize, picked up by Ganley in Prague on 5 November 2008. During his stay in Ireland after a state visit, Klaus visited Ganley in a private capacity and later attended the Shelbourne Hotel dinner given by Ganley for leading Eurosceptics."Klaus calls himself 'EU dissident'" , 11 November 2008, Prague Monitor
However, Ganley's Libertas was later rejectedNew right wing party to be founded. 9 December 2008, Prague Monitor."Anti-Lisbon party launches in Czech Republic ", The Irish Times, Monday 12 January 2009 by the new Czech Eurosceptic party, Petr Mach's Party of Free Citizens, which was endorsed by Klaus. Additionally, the Ganley-disavowed new Czech Eurosceptic party by Vladimír Železný usurped the Libertas brand by registering itself as Libertas.cz. Ganley's Libertas later claimed Železný's Libertas as an affiliate.
Greece After Manolis Kalligiannis (), President of the Greek Liberal Party had attended Libertas.eu's Rome convention on 1 May 2009."Libertas candidates sign petition for democracy at Rome Convention" Manolis Kalligiannis (Μανώλης Καλλιγιάννης, sometimes rendered in English as Emmanuel Kalligiannis), Liberal Party run for the 2009 European parliament election under a Libertas-affiliated list with the name "Κόμμα Φιλελευθέρων – Libertas.eu"."Ο ευρω-λόγος των κομμάτων" , from Eptanews.gr
Hungary In Hungary, Libertas.eu searched for candidates in an Internet ad"Legyen ön is EP-képviselő!: Magyarkúti Barna", 28 April 2009 and Károly Lóránt was appointed the Hungarian representative. However, as Hungarian concerns that a disorganized EU would only serve Russian strategic interests could not be dissipated, no list was fielded on behalf of Libertas.
Italy Libertas.eu announced talks with the Pole of Autonomy coalition on 30 April 2009, the day before its Rome convention,"Libertas.eu and l’Autonomia in discussions to run together for European elections in Italy: Announcement to be made at the first Libertas Convention in Rome" undated which were confirmed the next day by Teodoro Buontempo, the president of The Right."La Destra al meeting paneuropeo Libertas" , undated However, in the final candidate lists submitted in May, no candidates were fielded by Libertas.eu, neither did the Pole of Autonomy list refer to Libertas.
Lithuania Ganley arrived in Vilnius on Tuesday 3 March 2009 to discuss terms with prospective candidates, and explore whether to establish a new Libertas party in Lithuania or change the name of an existing Lithuanian party."Party agitating against Lisbon Treaty seeks candidates for European Parliament elections in Lithuania" , 4 March 2009, from www.euro.lt He did so again on Monday 24 March 2009 at a lecture at Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS, or VU Tarptautinių Santykių ir Politikos Mokslų Institutas, VU TSPMI)."Į Vilnių vėl atvyksta paneuropinės partijos „Libertas“ vadovas", 2009.03.27 18:24, balsas.lt, English translation here
On 31 March 2008, Libertas Lithuania gave a press conference.Libertas announces election plans for Lithuania. From Libertas.eu, 31 March 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2009. "Paneuropinės partijos „Libertas“ EP rinkimų sąraše – Bielinis (papildyta)", 31 March 2009 14:35, alfa.lt, English translation here "Prezidento patarėjas šturmuos Europarlamentą su A.Valinsko partija (dar atnaujinta)" , 31 March 2009, politika.atn.lt , English translation here Attendees at the press conference were Ganley, lawyer , political analyst and Lithuanian presidential advisor Lauras Bielinis, and Tautos Prisikėlimo Partija representative .
In that press conference, it was announced that the Libertas Lithuanian list would be headed by Sutkiene and would include Bielinis, and that candidates from the Tautos Prisikėlimo Partija would stand with them under a common list, although Ganley and Stoma disagreed whether other parties would join them under that list. When asked if he had read the Lisbon Treaty, Bielinis demurred. When asked about Libertas Lithuania's funding, Ganley demurred.
Bielinis planned to remain in his presidential advisory post until 7 May 2009 and take unpaid leave thereafter. Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus disagreed and announced Bielinis' resignation the next day, 1 April 2009."Л. Белинис – уже не советник президента", 1 April 2009, from news.penki.lt , English translation here
When the lists were published, neither Bielinis nor Sutkiene were on Tautos Prisikėlimo Partija's list."Kandidatų sąrašai" , from http://vilnius.adagio4.eu/ "Lietuvos Respublikos vyriausioji rinkimų komisija: 2009 m. birželio 7 d. rinkimai į Europos Parlamentą" , from http://www.vrk.lt/ When Libertas named their finalised candidates in May 2009, they did not include any candidates in Lithuania,"Libertas.eu :: Candidates" and the Tautos Prisikėlimo Partija website contained no pledge of allegiance to Libertas.
Portugal In April 2009, the Portuguese ecologist Earth Party (MPT) announced in a joint press conference with Ganley that it would run for the 2009 European Parliament election with an open electoral list under the banner of Libertas.eu."Libertas and MPT announce European election partnership" 27 April 2009, http://www.libertas.eu/
Slovakia While the vice-president of the EUDemocrats, Peter Kopecký had already announced the foundation of a Libertas Slovensko branch,"Priatelia, spolupracovníci, príbuzní, rodáci, spoluobčania!" Declaration of Libertas Slovensko, Bratislava, January 2009 he changed his mind in late February and decided to head the list of the small, but already established Agrarian and Countryside Party."EUROPEAN ELECTIONS 2009 - Peter Kopecky to contest European elections" , 20 March 2009