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20 Oct, 2023

Liberal leaders open ALDE Party Council

On 20 October, ALDE Party co-Presidents Senator Timmy Dooley and Ilhan Kyuchyuk MEP hosted the political opening event of the ALDE Party Council meeting in Bucharest. 

Hundreds of representatives from the European liberal family including political leaders and partners are meeting in Romania to discuss the main issues facing European liberals ahead of the upcoming European elections in 2024. 

“Friends, Romania has a significant year ahead - four elections await. […] As we look forward to this first fight, I urge every Romanian, every European, to make use of their energy, their passion for a united, liberal, and progressive Europe,” said co-President Kyuchyuk in his opening speech. 

“The people of Europe have given us their trust in 2019, and we must honour it. We must keep the hope. And let’s be clear: Hope, powerful as it is, cannot stand alone. We need to roll up our sleeves and get the work done,” added co-President Dooley. 

Renew Europe President Stéphane Séjourné also addressed Council guests, stressing the key role played by Renew Europe in the European Parliament in the last four years. 

“We are the alternative to old-fashioned politics. We are the only true fighter against illiberalism in the EU. We believe the EU is better governed from the centre that from the extremes. The past five years have been a turning point for our political family, 2024 will be a turning point for the European Union and Romania,” said Séjourné. 

The opening of the event co-organised with ALDE Party member USR featured strong participation from Romanian liberals, including ALDE Party Vice-President and USR MP Dan Barna, who welcomed liberals to Bucharest and highlighted how European liberal values remain intact ahead of a key election year. 

“European citizens are asking us to take to the European Parliament people that are skilled and believe in our joint European future, people who are capable to defend the interest of our citizens. This is just the starting point of our journey to 2024. It won’t be easy anywhere in Europe, but we are determined, we are united, and we are here to grow together. For Romania, for ALDE, for Europe,” said Vice-President Barna. 

“The real solutions are within the liberal democracy,” said USR President Cătălin Drulă MP. “The European elections will set the tone and get the momentum for the force of change. We must do everything to get a historical result, and this is why we will bring before our voters not just the best plan to modernise the country, but also the best list of candidates.” 

“We are fortunate to be in the EU. It is so important to have good people, honest people, competent people in the European Parliament when we have next door wars boiling, economic crisis boiling. I know I will do my best to save our house, Romania,” said USR’s lead candidate for the European elections in 2024 Elena Lasconi. 

Earlier in the day, USR hosted two fringe events on empowering liberal women in politics ahead of the 2024 European elections and disability inclusion in the European Year of Skills, both featuring prominent ALDE Party and USR speakers. 

You can watch a recording of the political opening below or on our YouTube channel. 

Follow all the relevant updates from the ALDE Party Council meeting with #ALDECouncil on ALDE Party Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages. 

To follow the ALDE Party Council through pictures, visit our Flickr page. 

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