Abbreviation | CDI (English), IDC (French, Spanish) |
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Formation | 30 July 1961[1] |
Purpose | Christian democracy Social conservatism |
Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
Region served | Worldwide |
Membership | 80 political parties |
Official languages |
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Chairman | Andrés Pastrana Arango |
Subsidiaries | Youth of the Centrist Democrat International |
Affiliations | Christian Democrat Organization of America (ODCA) European People's Party (EPP) National Democratic Institute (NDI) |
Website | idc-cdi.com |
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The Centrist Democrat International (Spanish: Internacional Demócrata de Centro) is a Christian-democratic political international. Until 2001, it was known as the Christian Democrat International (CDI); before 1999, it was known as the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International. This earlier name is still sometimes used colloquially.
It is the primary international political group dedicated to the promotion of Christian democracy. Although it gathers parties from around the globe, its members are drawn principally from Europe and Latin America. Some of them are also members of the conservative International Democrat Union (IDU), although the CDI is closer to the continental European style conservative political centre and more communitarian than the IDU.
The organization was formed in 1961 in Santiago, Chile, as the Christian Democrat World Union, building on the legacy of other Christian democrat internationals alternative to the socialist internationals who tried to create a Christian-inspired third way. In 1982, it was renamed for the first time as the Christian Democrat International. The name was officially changed due to the participation of groups of various faiths such as the Islamic PAN of Indonesia.
In September 2001, the Leaders' Conference in Mexico City changed the organization's name to Centrist Democrat International, which kept the original abbreviation (CDI). In many Asian and African countries reference to religion was not allowed, and absent a name change, the CDI would not have been able to extend itself into Asia and Africa.[2]
The CDI's European division is the European People's Party, currently the largest European political party. It is Latin American equivalent is the Christian Democrat Organization of America. The Democratic Party of the United States of America maintains links with CDI through the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.
A youth organization of the CDI is currently being established, under the name of Youth of the Centrist Democrat International (YCDI).
Member-parties of the CDI today also tend to be members of either the ODCA or the European People's Party (EPP; successor to NEI), although it is not required. Conversely, there may also be member-parties of either the ODCA and the EPP that are not member-parties of the CDI. The CDI also maintains a relationship with the United States through the National Democratic Institute.
The CDI Executive Committee is the highest body of the organization. It consists of the president, the executive secretary, and the vice-presidents.
The current president of the CDI is Andrés Pastrana Arango of Colombia. Its Executive Secretary is MEP Antonio López-Istúriz, from Spain, who is also Secretary-General of the EPP.[3]
The members of the executive committee are:
The CDI has 80 full members, including:
The CDI has 9 observers, including: