ALDE Party Governance – the life of a democratic party

European Liberals are a member-driven organisation.

Our members, national political parties and individuals, are at the core of the European Liberal Party.

Their representatives meet at least twice a year at the ALDE Party Congress and Council. The Congress is the highest decision-making body electing the political leadership and adopting policies. The Council, composed of a smaller number of representatives discusses membership applications and approves the annual budget of the party.

The political leadership, the President, the Treasurer and 9 Vice-Presidents, form the Bureau that sets the day-to-day political guidelines and is elected by Congress for a mandate of 2 years.

In the ALDE Party Headquarters in Brussels, the daily management of the Party’s activities is led by the Secretary-General and a team of more than 20 colleagues.

In the European Parliament, the Renew Europe Group (composed of ALDE’s MEPs, EDP, PLUS and Renaissance) works towards turning liberal ideas into legislation serving our European interests.

Together with our European liberal youth organisation LYMEC and our Think Tank European Liberal Forum and our partner organisations the ALDE Group in the parliamentary assembly in the Council of Europe and the Renew Europe Group in the Committee of the Regions, European Liberals work towards advancing our liberal agenda of promoting open societies and open markets at levels.

ALDE Party Congress

The annual Party Congress, which is the supreme-decision making forum, highlights a key political issue for high level debates. The Congress brings together delegates from all our member parties, our parliamentary group, liberal democrat Commissioners, Ministers, MPs and representatives of the European Liberal Youth. Congress delegates elect the ALDE Party Bureau members and adopt the political resolutions and common electoral programme for the European elections.

ALDE Party Council

The ALDE Party Council is the party’s second highest decision-making body and meets at least twice a year. Delegates of full member parties are empowered to speak and act on behalf of the ALDE Party. The Council approves membership applications, membership fees, the party’s annual budget and accounts and nominates the Secretary General.

ALDE Party Bureau

The Bureau provides the ALDE Party with its day-to-day guidance. The President, Vice-Presidents and Treasurer of the Bureau are elected every two years at the Congress.

ALDE Party Secretariat

The Secretary General is in charge of the daily management of the Party. The scope and financial limitations of the management powers are defined by the ALDE Party bureau.
The staff members support the Secretary General in his day-to-day work and the realisation of the Party’s objectives.

European Liberal Youth - LYMEC

Established in 1976, the European Liberal Youth - LYMEC represents 250 000 young liberal democrats and seeks to promote European Liberal Democrat values among young European people.

Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament

Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament sit in the Renew Europe Group and currently comprise 98 members from 22 countries of which 66 represent ALDE Party members, along with EDP, PLUS and Renaissance. They share common values and a common vision for Europe. The group is led by former Prime Minister Dacian CIOLOȘ (Partidul Libertate, Unitate și Solidaritate, Romania).

European Liberal Forum - ELF

Closely linked to the ALDE Party and the Group in the European Parliament the non profit association ELF brings together national political foundations and think-tanks in the European Union who, within the framework of liberal, democratic and reformist ideals, wish to contribute to the European Union. Through education, training, research and the promotion of active citizenship the Forum contributes to the debate on European public policy issues and the further process of European integration.