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Liberalism |
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In general, liberalism in Europe is a political movement that supports a broad tradition of individual liberties and constitutionally-limited and democratically accountable government. These European derivatives of classical liberalism are found in centrist movements and parties as well as some parties on the centre-left and the centre-right.
When liberalism is divided into two in Europe, it is largely into "social" and "conservative".[1] This is somewhat different from the American method of dividing liberalism into "modern" (simply liberal) and "classical" (or libertarian). Because most liberalism in Europe are classical liberalism. (European social liberalism and progressivism is rooted in radicalism, a left-wing classical liberal idea.)
European liberals usually support the federalisation of the EU.[2]
Liberal political parties have specific policies, which the social scientist can either read from party manifestos, or infer from actual actions and laws passed by ostensibly liberal parties. The sources listed below serve to illustrate some of the current liberal attitudes in Europe.
Additionally, liberal value preferences can be inferred from the liberalisation programmes and policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
The liberalism visible in these sources emphasizes in comparison with other ideologies more belief in individual development as a motor for society and the state providing a social safety net. The liberal policies differ from country to country and from party to party.
European liberalism is largely divided into classical (practically economical), social, and conservative–liberalism.[10]
Liberalism in Europe has a different meaning from the signification it has in contemporary politics in the US.[11] In America, liberals might be confused with social-democrats and leftists which advocate for a larger government, some forms of protectionism and more economic interventionism;[12][13][14][15] whereas European liberals usually favor limited government, free trade and adhere to economic liberalism.[11] In the context of European politics, liberal itself generally refers to classical liberal (including both centre-left and centre-right), so classical liberal in European politics means a "centre-right" with a prominent economically liberal tendency. (Germany's FPD is representative.) There is also an evaluation that mainstream conservative liberal (ex. ordoliberalism, Christian democracy, enc.) in Europe have weaker economic liberal tendencies than social liberal.[10] However, some classical liberal (economic liberal), are included in conservative liberal.[16][17]
European liberalists tend to support the European Union[18][19][20][21][22][23] such as Emmanuel Macron, President of France who campaigned against Marine Le Pen a National Rally candidate a far right nationalist anti EU party.[24][25][26] Some European liberalists support Federalisation of the European Union such as prominent European Liberalist politicians such as Guy Verhofstadt (Prime Minister of Belgium 1999 to 2008),[27][28] Viviane Reading (Vice-President of the European Commission),[29] and Matteo Renzi (Prime Minister of Italy 2014 to 2016).[30]
Among European liberals, "classical liberals" and "social liberals" support cultural liberalism (ex. LGBT rights issues including same-sex marriage, legalization of some drugs, opening immigration, etc.), but most "conservative liberals", including ordoliberals, Christian democrats and some agrarians, take a socially moderate-to-conservative stance on cultural liberalism. (Finland's Keskusta is representative.)[31][32]
Country | Symbol | Parties | Head of State/Head of Government | Upper/ Lower House | Founded | Leader/Founder | Former Party | European/ International Affliction | Ideology/ Political Position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats Flemish |
Prime Minister | Chamber of Representatives (Lower House)
12 / 87 Senate (Upper House)
5 / 60
|
1992 (VLD)
2007 (Open VLD) |
Leader
Egbert Lachaert |
Preceded By | European
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) International |
Ideology
Conservative liberalism[35][36] Political Position | |
Reformist Movement | N/A |
Chamber of Representatives (Lower House) 14 / 87 Senate (Upper House)
8 / 60
|
21 March 2002 | Leader | Preceded By | European
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) International |
Ideology
Political Position | ||
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Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (HNS – LD) | N/A | Sabor
1 / 151 Coalition
Independent Democratic Serb Party with support from HSLS, HDS, HDSSB, HNS, Reformists, Democratic Union of Hungarians, Kali Sara, Union of Albanians and Independents |
13 October 1990 | Leader
Founder |
Preceded By | Regional
Liberal South East European Network European |
Ideology
Political Position | |
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Centre Party | Deputy Prime Minister | Parliament 31 / 200 European Parliament2 / 14 Coalition
|
1906 | Leader | Preceded by | European
International |
Ideology
Political Position | |
Swedish People's Party of Finland | N/A | Parliament 10 / 200 European Parliament1 / 14 Coalition
|
1906 | Leader
Founder |
Preceded by | European
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) International |
Ideology
Swedish-speaking minority interests[48] Political Position | ||
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La République En Marche! | President | National Assembly (Lower House)
280 / 577
23 / 348 European Parliament
11 / 79 Coalition
TDP |
6 April 2016 | Leader
Founder |
European | Ideology
Political Position | ||
Agir | Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs | National Assembly (Lower House)
11 / 577
6 / 348 European Parliament
1 / 79 Coalition
TDP |
6 April 2016 | Leader | European | Ideology
Political Position | |||
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Free Democratic Party | Secretary of the Treasury | Bundestag
92 / 736
134 / 1,884
5 / 95
|
6 April 2016 | Chairman
General Secretary |
European | Ideology
Political Position | ||
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Go Italy | N/A | Chamber of Deputies (Lower House)
79 / 630
Senate of the Republic (Upper House) 50 / 315
9 / 76
|
16 November 2013 | Leader
Founder |
European | Ideology
Political Position | ||
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Liberal Initiative | N/A | Parliement
8 / 230
|
13 December 2017 | Leader
Founder Alexandre Krauss |
European | Ideology
Political Position |