I am Malik Azmani and I am the VVD candidate for ALDE Party VP. I was born to a Moroccan father and a Dutch mother, and I have dedicated the last 13 years of my life to the liberal cause. First in the municipal council of my hometown, and then as a Member of Parliament.

Currently I serve as VVD's delegation leader in European Parliament and first Vice-President of the RenewEurope Group. I believe that ALDE Party is the key to securing a more liberal and sustainable future for Europe. Not just in the 2024 elections, but also for the decades to come.

My priorities for ALDE are as follows:

• I want to unite ALDE and bring European liberals together ahead of the crucial European elections next year and beyond.
• As a bridge builder, I want to strengthen the link between the ALDE Party and the RenewEurope group, in order to better translate our key priorities into political action.
• And I want to strengthen the links between the ALDE and its member parties, so that we can share our liberal success stories and strengthen liberalism across Europe.

My name is Azmani. I am Liberal, Dedicated and European. I am ALDE, just like you. And I hope that I can count on your support to take the ALDE party forward.

Read the candidates' nomination letter here.

My name is Dan Barna and I am running for Vice President of ALDE. Read my full candidacy on https://danbarna.eu/.

I am running for ALDE VP because I want us, through the Party Bureau and through well-planned programs of aiding our member parties, to stand firm and provide the means of winning elections in our countries, or of being relevant enough to set the national political agendas and be part of coalition governments.

I am Romanian, I am a husband, father and I am a politician. My whole career and aspirations were and are linked to the European project and the benefits provided to each of us by the EU community. As a business entrepreneur, I created in 2007 the first Romanian online platform (www.fonduri-structurale.ro) where entrepreneurs and NGOs could get complete and thorough information about how to access European funds and the momentum they could provide for their organizations.

From my first governmental experience as a technocrat State Secretary in the Ministry of European Funds in 2016 to the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the Romanian Government in 2021, my personal conviction that Romania can and deserves more has been the driving force behind my political rise.

In 5 years as President of USR, I led the party's rise from opposition to government. Together with the ministers I coordinated, we set the standard for good governance in Romania. I oversaw the portfolios of Transport, Health, Justice, Economy, and European Funds, at the height of the social tension generated by the Covid-19 waves. One of the achievements of our time in government was working with the Commission in negotiating and getting approved the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Romania, one which was considered by the EC as one of the most consistent in Europe. With a reformist agenda, we made it clear that Europe is not just an ideal, but a reality we can call home.

Currently I am the Vice-President of USR, the Vice-President of the Romanian Parliament and a second term MP for Sibiu County.

Read the candidates' nomination letter here.

Jaroslav Bžoch, ANO 2011, Czech Republic, 39 y.o.

Jaroslav is member of ANO2011 since very beginning when he started in 2011. Since then he is active politician when he got first elected to City Council of the city Teplice in 2014 where he lives. After two years he got also elected to Regional Council. He resigned in 2018 after he got elected to the Czech Parliament. Since then he is Vice-chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and also Vice-chair of the committee on European Affairs at the Chamber of Deputies. In 2022 he became also Board member of movement ANO2011.

Since really young age Jaroslav was always fighting against racism, fascism and xenophobia. He is also active in human rights agenda as a member of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe where he is also part of ALDE family.

Jaroslav spent most of his career in logistics where he worked as Key Account Manager. He also spent one year in New Zealand working for DHL.

He is active sportsman. His passion is Rugby League and Crossfit.

Read the candidates' nomination letter here.

My entry into politics 40 years ago was driven by the creation of the Single Market and the significance of a robust NATO. Ever since, I have been dedicated to advocating for a stronger, sustainable, and liberal Europe.

Networking and fostering close relations across borders have been my consistent priority as a minister, member of the Danish Parliament, and European Parliament, strengthening our liberal views in European politics. I firmly believe that this approach is crucial for strengthening our liberal views in European politics.

The ALDE Party plays a crucial role in enhancing liberal values within the EU. Respect for fundamental democratic rights is imperative both within and beyond the EU, with adherence to the Copenhagen criteria and safeguarding citizens' rights. I was proud to be the first minister in Denmark to present an action plan on LGBTI-rights to prevent and combat discrimination.

Worldwide democracies are under threat. We must be careful not to appear naive when it comes to China. The Taiwanese and the Ukrainians should have the right to determine their own future.

We must be ambitious in sustainable development and be leading in how to fight climate change and protect the environment. Bottlenecks for green and digital transitions need to be removed, and we have to ensure level playing fields and a well-functioning single market.

In the Bureau, I will give priority to:

• Building a stronger political platform for ALDE Party, leading the development of common European politics.
• Focusing on communication and initiatives that raise awareness of liberal values among citizens.
• Strengthening relations between our member parties and further enhancing ALDE Party as a meeting point for liberals across borders.

Read the candidates' nomination letter here.

Jouni Ovaska has been member of the Finnish Centre Party Parliamentary group since 2019. He is also currently serving as the 1st Vice-Chair of the parliamentary group.

In addition to his parliamentary career, Mr Ovaska was the Secretary General of Finnish Centre Party from 2016 to 2018. During the same period, he was also appointed as the president of European Movement Finland which is part of the European Movement International.

Throughout his career, Mr Ovaska has been active in the field of foreign and security policy. In the Finnish Parliament he has been a member of the Grand Committee (EU spokesperson), Foreign Affairs Committee, the Legal Affairs Committee, and the Finnish Delegation to the Nordic Council, to name a few. He is a member of the Alde Party Manifesto Drafting Committee.

Mr Ovaska holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Tampere.

Read the candidates' nomination letter here.

Delegates,
It has been a huge honour to serve as Treasurer on the ALDE Party Bureau for the past two years. Over that period I have provided stable and strong financial leadership. This financial leadership is important now more than ever as we face into European Elections. ALDE has always been at the forefront of liberalism in Europe, we have a unique opportunity at the next European elections to grow liberalism in Europe and to achieve this we need stable and strong finances. This financial leadership will ensure that our member parties are given every resource to mount effective and strong campaigns. I have delivered that leadership over the past two years and with your support at this congress I will be able to continue that and further the liberal cause in Europe.

I look forward to speaking with you over the course of the congress and please don’t hesitate to get in touch should you have any questions.

I am respectfully asking for your vote at Congress.

Mission

Stability – As Treasurer of ALDE, I have given my 100% commitment to ALDE and I have ensured that the finances of ALDE have been managed in a responsible and professional manner.

Professionalism – As a qualified Chartered Accounted, having worked for KPMG and PwC, I have used my professional financial qualifications to perform the role of Party Treasurer in an effective manner and to oversee the work of the Party Secretariat.

Transparency – I am committed to ALDE’s ethos and to furthering the cause of liberalism in Europe. As Treasurer I have always operated with the utmost integrity, professionalism and transparency.

Read the candidates' nomination letter here.

Eva has dedicated her life to fighting for liberal values, most notably as Secretary of State for Budget & Consumer Protection in the Belgian Government.

But her commitment started a long time ago: from volunteering in her youth to becoming President of Open VLD Women from 2016 until 2022, Eva has shown great commitment when it comes to giving back to society. Throughout her career she actively strived to advance gender equality and promote the interests of women in society. Eva ran three times for local elections, once for the Belgian Senate and twice for the European elections, in 2014 and 2019.

As the Belgian Secretary of State for Budget & Consumer Protection until 2022, Eva implemented budgetary policies to make the government’s budget more transparant while having a particular attention towards greater efficiency of public expenses. Her focus on policies to increase consumer protection also brought her into the spotlight as she fought for improved customer service at energy suppliers, advocated for stronger passenger rights, and spearheaded initiatives to combat phishing.

Eva's passion for liberalism extends beyond her national involvement. Eva has gained significant expertise in European affairs as she served on the Board of the Flanders-Europe Liaison Agency. As the International Secretary of Open VLD and an Alumna of The Alliance of Her, she has built a wide-ranging European network and developed a keen understanding of navigating the international political scene. In the private sector, Eva has worked for an economic consulting firm in Oxford and FoodDrinksEurope.

Currently, Eva is working for the European Commission at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Previously, she worked at the Directorate-General for Trade and the Directorate-General of Energy where she was in charge of trade negotiations. Now, Eva is a local councillor in Hoeilaart where she also served as Alderwoman. Eva's passion for Europe and her unwavering commitment to liberalism continue to drive her efforts to create a better future for all.

Read the candidates' letter for delegates to the Stockholm Congress
Read the candidates' nomination letter here.