In his end of the year message, ALDE President Hans van Baalen symbolically takes off his face mask before addressing European liberals and democrats.

2020 has been an unprecedented year, but van Baalen is proud to see how many people have stood shoulder to shoulder to combat this crisis.

Importantly, the strong cooperation between ALDE Party and its European partners such as the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament, Heads of State and Government in the European Council, under the leadership of Charles Michel, our liberal EU Commissioners and the leadership of European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager.

The strength and resilience of European liberals this year has also been made possible by the European Liberal Forum (ELF) and our ALDE member parties.

Despite the challenges that the world has faced in 2020, van Baalen shares his hope for everyone to enjoy the upcoming Christmas and holiday season, underlining that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that we will defeat this crisis collectively:

“…Because there are now vaccines. The whole process of vaccination will take longer than we want, but we will defeat COVID-19, we will defeat the coronavirus and we will defeat the mental depression that it has caused for many people. We will be able to rebuild democracy and rebuild our economy.

I wish that we all go forward together in 2021 and make it a happy year!

Hans van Baalen, ALDE Party President”

Watch the full holiday message below or here.