Vienna, 04.07.26 | ALDE Party adopts Vienna Declaration at Congress
VIENNA – ALDE Party – Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe concluded its historic 50th anniversary Congress in Vienna on Saturday 4 July, where delegates elected a new Bureau and adopted a series of landmark resolutions. The Congress concluded with the Vienna Declaration which set out political priorities for the coming years.
Bringing together liberals from across Europe, the Congress marked 50 years since ALDE Party’s founding in 1976. The weekend featured high-level debates on the future of liberal democracy alongside a dedicated exhibition reflecting on five decades of the European liberal movement.
“We have the necessity to remain really loud”
Opening the Congress, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austrian Foreign Minister and NEOS Party Leader, called on liberals to remain active in defending democratic values across Europe:
“We have the necessity to remain really loud and to counter these nationalist tendencies that we see all over Europe right now. We see attacks on our democracies on an every day basis. This new global disorder clearly demonstrates being still and not speaking out is not an option"
New ALDE Party Bureau adopted:
- Svenja Hahn MEP was re-elected ALDE Party President, having first taken office in 2024.
The Congress also elected six Vice-Presidents to the new ALDE Party Bureau:
- Yevheniia Kravchuk (Servant of the People, Ukraine)
- Yoko Alender (Eesti Reformierakond, Estonia)
- Fatimazhra Belhirch (D66, Netherlands)
- Julie Smith (Liberal Democrats, UK)
- Lucia Plaváková (Progresívne Slovensko, Slovakia)
- Jouni Ovaska (Keskusta, Finland)
Adopted Resolutions set forward agenda:
Delegates adopted a series of policy resolutions aimed at strengthening Europe’s security, democracy and competitiveness.
In total, the Congress passed five urgency resolutions and seven regular resolutions, covering key priorities including digital resilience, economic competitiveness, women’s rights, EU enlargement, climate action and continued support for partners including Ukraine and Georgia.
Together, the resolutions reaffirmed the ALDE Party’s commitment to a competitive and resilient Europe.
Check out the adopted resolutions here.
Liberals announce Vienna Declaration:
A central outcome of the Congress was the adoption of the Vienna Declaration, presented by ALDE Party President Svenja Hahn MEP and NEOS Leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger.
The Declaration sets out a renewed liberal commitment to reform, grounded in the belief that liberal policies deliver results across Europe.
It builds on 50 years of liberal cooperation and reaffirms a shared ambition to strengthen Europe’s democracy, security and competitiveness at a time of global instability.
Liberals across Europe are already delivering: from the Netherlands, Ireland and Estonia to many more - and the Vienna Declaration pledges to continue that work with renewed ambition: where liberals lead, reforms follow.
Read the Vienna Declaration here.
For more information on our 50-year campaign and upcoming highlights, visit our anniversary page here.