Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

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ALDE-PACE
PresidentIulian Bulai
IdeologyLiberalism
Website
http://www.alde-pace.org/

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (ALDE-PACE) (French: Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l'Europe) is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe bringing together 92 members from 26 states.[1] Since June 2022, the group is chaired by Iulian Bulai of Romania.

ALDE-PACE Mission[edit]

The Mission of the ALDE-PACE group is to promote core values of the Council of Europe: democracy, human rights and the rule of law through enhanced political actions inside and outside the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. ALDE adopted a new mission statement 22 January 2018 outlining the values and objectives of the group.[2] ALDE members realize these objectives by actively participating in the Parliamentary Assembly sessions, working in its Committees, drafting reports, initiating debates and ensuring the follow-up of this work in their home countries. Outside the Assembly the group members are committed to promoting the principles of the Council of Europe and giving support to liberal and democratic values throughout Europe.[3]

Composition[edit]

Bureau[edit]

According to the Rules of Procedure of the ALDE-PACE[4] (as amended on 22 January 2018), the Bureau of the Group consists of the Chairperson, 11 Vice-Chairpersons and the Treasurer of the Group.[5] Chairpersons of committees and former Chairpersons of the Group are ex officio members of the Bureau.

Members[edit]

List of ALDE-PACE members

Secretariat[edit]

The permanent secretariat of the Group is located in the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France (Palais de l’Europe). The secretariat is chaired by Dr Maria Bigday.

History[edit]

It was not until after the celebration of the Council of Europe's 25th anniversary in 1964 that the Rules of Procedure of the Consultative Assembly (its name was not changed to Parliamentary Assembly until 1974) discreetly mentioned that members had the possibility of forming political groups. The history of the liberal group in the PACE dates back to the early 1970s (first documented in 1974). At the time it was called the Liberal Group and consisted of 30 members headed by Frederik Portheine (Netherlands).[3]

In the mid-80s the group changed its name to the "Liberal, Democratic and Reformers' Group" (LDR) in order to make the Group's political ideals universally and unequivocally recognisable. The name "Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe" (ALDE) was adopted on 20 June 2005[6] in order to enhance cooperation with other European liberal and democratic bodies, in particular the ALDE of the European Parliament.

ALDE-PACE Presidents[edit]

In office President Country
June 2022 – present Iulian Bulai Romania Romania
January 2020 – June 2022 Jacques Maire France France
2017–2020 Rik Daems Belgium Belgium
2014 – October 2017 Jordi Xuclà Spain Spain
2009–2014 Anne Brasseur Luxembourg Luxembourg
2002–2009 Mátyás Eörsi Hungary Hungary
1999–2002 Kristiina Ojuland Estonia Estonia
1994–1999 Sir Russell-Johnston United Kingdom United Kingdom
1991–1994 Daniel Tarschys Sweden Sweden
1983–1991 Bjorn Elmquist Denmark Denmark
1980–1983 Manfred Vohrer West Germany West Germany
1974–1980 Frederik Portheine Netherlands Netherlands

Liberal Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly[edit]

In office President Country
2020–present Rik Daems Belgium Belgium
2014–2016 Anne Brasseur Luxembourg Luxembourg
1999–2002 Lord Russell-Johnston United Kingdom United Kingdom
1978–1981 Hans J. de Koster Netherlands Netherlands
1969–1972 Olivier Reverdin Switzerland Switzerland
1960–1963 Per Federspiel Denmark Denmark

Liberal Secretary General of the Council of Europe[edit]

Daniel Tarschys (Sweden) was Secretary General of the Council of Europe from 1994 - 1999.

History of the Secretariat[edit]

The permanent secretariat of the Group operates since 1978, when Mr Peter Kallenberger was appointed Secretary of the Group. After he retired in 2010, Ms Maria Bigday took up the position of the Secretary.

Activities[edit]

Recent reports prepared by the ALDE members[edit]

  • Anne Brasseur
    • Good Football governance (Report, Doc 14452, 15 December 2017)
    • Internet and politics: the impact of new information technology on democracy (Report, Doc 13386, 13 January 2014)
  • Rik Daems
    • Setting minimum standards for electoral systems in order to offer the basis for free and fair elections (Report,Doc 15027, 8 January 2020)
    • Extra-institutional actors in the democratic system (Report, Doc 12278, 4 June 2010)
  • Dick Marty
    • Inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo ( Report, Doc. 12462, 25 January 2011)
    • Alleged secret detentions and unlawful inter-state transfers of detainees involving Council of Europe member states (Report, Doc 10957, 12 June 2006)

Conferences and side-events[edit]

The ALDE-PACE Group regularly holds conferences, hearings, seminars and round tables in the framework of the Council of Europe scope of interest. It also co-organises joint events with other European and international liberal and democratic institutions. Information relating to these side events is found on the ALDE-PACE Pace website and in the ALDE newsletter published after each session.

Partner organisations[edit]

The ALDE-PACE holds stable partnership with major European and world liberal and democratic organisations.

  1. ALDE Party
  2. Renew Europe in the European Parliament
  3. International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY)
  4. Liberal International (LI)
  5. Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions
  6. Independent Liberal and Democratic Group in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

References[edit]

  1. ^ "PACE - Assembly Members". www.assembly.coe.int.
  2. ^ "Alde-Pace Mission Statement".
  3. ^ a b "- Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe -". www.alde-pace.org.
  4. ^ "ALDE-PACE Rules of Procedure" (PDF).
  5. ^ "- Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe -". alde-pace.org.
  6. ^ Council of Europe: Parliamentary Assembly (2006). Official report of debates: 2005 ordinary session (third part), 20-24 June 2005, Vol. 3: Sittings 17 to 24, pages 615 to 942. Council of Europe. p. 621. ISBN 978-92-871-5803-1.

External links[edit]