ALDE Party Liberal Bulletin 02 2018

PARTY

liberal

ALLIANCE OF LIBERALS AND D E M O C R AT S F O R E U R O P E

A forward-looking Europe Interview with Taavi Rõivas on the European election Manifesto The future is female All about the European Women’s Academy 2018 Young liberals that will shape our future A chat with Svenja Hahn on youth politics ‘All human beings are born free and equal’ Markus Löning on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

SECOND ISSUE 2018

Calendar 6 October 2018

Latvia Parliamentary elections

14 October 2018 Luxembourg General election

18 October 2018 Brussels, Belgium ALDE Pre-Summit

27 October 2018

Nice, France Individual members transnational event “European citizens: Liberal solutions”

27 October 2018

Brussels, Belgium ALDE Party extraordinary Council meeting

Contents Editorial by ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen MEP

03

A forward-looking Europe Interview Taavi Rõivas Chair of the ALDE Manifesto Drafting Committee

04

The road towards the ALDE Manifesto Map Expert Forums

06

The future is female European Women’s Academy

08

Young liberals that will shape our future Interview Svenja Hahn LYMEC President

10

‘All human beings are born free and equal’ Opinion Markus Löning ALDE Party Vice President

12

Meet the Individual Members Congress delegates

14

Best from social media

16

Movers and Shakers

18

8-10 November 2018 Madrid, Spain ALDE Party Congress

8-10 November 2018 Madrid, Spain Liberal Mayors Summit

1-2 December 2018

Visegrad, Hungary Individual members transnational event “Bright Future of Liberalism”

13 December 2018 Brussels, Belgium ALDE Pre-Summit

6 January 2019

Stuttgart, Germany FDP Dreikönigstreffen

24 February 2019

Moldova Parliamentary elections

3 March 2019

Estonia Parliamentary elections

23-26 May 2019

European Union European Parliament elections

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party is the party representing liberal democrat values across Europe.

In conjunction with our liberal member parties throughout the European continent, we are translating the principle of freedom into politics, economics and across all other areas of our societies.

The ALDE Party provides an increasingly vital link between citizens and the EU institutions and is continuously growing in size and significance.

The ALDE Party is made up of more than 60 member parties and many individual members from across Europe. Liberal Democrats created their political family in 1976, ahead of the first European elections. ALDE was established as a truly transnational political party in 1993. In April 2017, the ALDE Party was legally recognised under European law as the first European political party.

Liberal Bulletin is a publication of the ALDE Party. It is published twice a year.

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party Rue d’Idalie 11 – box 2, 1050 Brussels Tel. +32 2 237 01 40 – Fax. +32 2 231 19 07 Editors: Adriana Díaz, Daniel Tanahatoe , Andrew Burgess ALDE Party Publisher: Didrik de Schaetzen, ALDE Party Layout: Nadège Van Hoorde Printing: Printdeal.be With the support of the European Parliament

editorial The ALDE Party’s reception on 5 September marked the return from the summer and the start of the run-up to the European elections in May 2019.

These European elections will not be business as usual. There will be a fundamental shift of power in the new European Parliament.

For the first time, the democratic centre of pro-European liberals and reformers can be a power broker. ALDE has many new and current members which are expected to do very well. If a united force of ALDE, En Marche and additional partners are able to form a joint parliamentary group and attract other Members of the European Parliament that share our values, we will be a decisive force. Also, here we hope to see a new generation emerging which take the lead.

Since the last edition, we have a new Prime Minister in Slovenia Marjan Šarec and I congratulate former Prime Minister and new Foreign Minister Miro Cerar of SMC and new Minister for Infrastructure Alenka Bratušek of SAB for successfully cementing liberal cooperation. We also congratulate Prime Minister Andrej Babiš of ANO who was able to get approved by the Czech Parliament.

We are working hard to organise, together with our host party, Ciudadanos, in November our annual ALDE Party Congress. This is the moment to unite and we will adopt ALDE’s European election Manifesto, the draft of which has been put together by an inspiring team led by Taavi Rõivas, former Prime Minister of Estonia. In addition to welcoming hundreds of delegates, individual members and European liberals, we will also welcome new member parties and fine-tune how to go forward with either a lead candidate or with a Team Europe.

/hansvanbaalenMEP @hansvanbaalen

The Madrid Congress is the last which I chair as an MEP. After two mandates, I have decided not to seek a third term. It is time for a new generation. I will be a candidate for the Dutch Senate but, of course, I will continue as your ALDE Party President.

I remain committed to ALDE, European and international liberalism because I want to contribute with all of you to freedom, civil liberties and human rights and the right of people be judged on their character and not on the colour of their skin, their gender, their sexual orientation or their religion.

Liberals must unite!

Hans van Baalen MEP ALDE Party President

SECOND issue 2018 03 liberal bulletin

A forward-looking Europe

INTERVIEW Manifesto Forum on climate change - 23 March 2018, Stockholm

Taavi RĂľivas Chair of the ALDE Manifesto Drafting Committee Taavi RĂľivas is the Former Prime Minister of Estonia and the Chair of the Drafting Committee of the ALDE Party manifesto for the 2019 European elections. Together with the rest of the committee members, he has put words to the liberal vision for the future of Europe, drafting a forward-looking and pro-European document for the next European elections. Find out more about the core ideas and messages of the 2019 ALDE Manifesto in this interview, as it will be put to vote in the upcoming ALDE Party Congress in Madrid.

liberal bulletin 04 SECOND issue 2018

The drafting of the ALDE Manifesto is over. How was it to work with the fellow Drafting Committee members for this goal?

I have really enjoyed working with the great team we have - very diverse in terms of member parties and backgrounds and very passionate on all the topics. It has been a series of good discussions and the result is a liberal vision for the future of Europe. I expect the discussions to continue within our member parties and at our Congress. Even the best manifesto text can be made better with the help of our members.

“ I believe we have

covered all the topics that are decisive for the future of Europe - being open to free trade, being safe from all possible threats and being ready for the future.

”

What are the priority topics covered in the ALDE Manifesto?

I believe we have covered all the topics that are decisive for the future of Europe - being open to free trade, being safe from all possible threats and being ready for the future. People expect a forward-looking and pro-European vision from us and this is exactly what we wish to deliver to them. The manifesto also reminds us that we have achieved a lot together and this should not be taken for granted. Our freedoms are not self-evident, they need to be protected all the time.

How would you summarise the key messages that Liberals should focus on for the 2019 European elections campaign?

ALDE Manifesto Drafting Committee meeting - 2 March 2018

“The European Union is

Following the surge in populism, it has become more important not to take our European values for granted. Has this fight for our values been reflected in the manifesto?

the greatest geopolitical success of the 20th century. Our job is to make Europe even better and ready for future challenges. This can only be done when staying true to European values, which are, in essence, liberal values.

Indeed. It has only been 30 years of unity and freedom in our continent, so we should never take what we have for granted. Even now we have some European countries that cannot enjoy the same freedoms as people in the EU. The populists are trying to “protect” us from the freedoms we have fought so hard for to achieve and are, in fact, making us less safe, less free and less prosperous. I have great confidence in my fellow Europeans and strong hope that they will not help the populists to power. Europe has too much to lose.

”

For the first time, ten Manifesto Forums were organised throughout Europe to get inspiration from experts and citizens for the drafting.

What kind of input did you get from those events?

In today’s politics it is an absolute necessity to listen to what people have to say. We need to be open in our policy-making and this must apply for our manifesto as well. I attended myself several of the forums we organised and can honestly tell that we got very good and detailed input from those events. It was much more than could ever fit into one manifesto document, and a lot that can be used in our future proposals.

The next ALDE Party Congress in Madrid will adopt the manifesto.

What would you tell the delegates before they cast their vote?

This manifesto is our liberal vision for the future of Europe. It is cherishing what has been achieved over the past decades and drawing a picture how to make our common home even better, meaning safe, prosperous and ready for the next generations. If you believe in Europe and liberal values - and you would probably not be reading these words if you don’t - then this manifesto is your manifesto.

The European Union is the greatest geopolitical success of the 20th century.

Our job is to make Europe even better and ready for future challenges. This can only be done by staying true to European values, which are, in essence, liberal values.

ALDE Manifesto Drafting Committee - First meeting in Brussels, 2 March 2018

SECOND issue 2018 05 liberal bulletin

The road towards the ALDE Manifesto During the first half of 2018, a series of expert forums were organised around Europe on topical matters and challenges facing the European Union. Experts in the respective fields from our member parties participated in these meetings sharing their views and actively contributing to the ALDE Manifesto drafting process for the 2019 European elections.

International trade 13 April 2018

Helsinki

With its ambitious trade agenda, the EU can shape globalisation while becoming the new world leader of free trade. Including environmental standards, human and social rights in its agreements, the EU can also defend EU values and standards around the world and make free trade more sustainable.

Priorities of the EU budget 21 April 2018

Stockholm

Copenhagen

Investments in innovation and research, security, environment, climate change and tackling youth unemployment should be the EU budgetary priorities for the next term.

Warsaw

The Hague Ghent Frankfurt

Social dimension of Europe 16 May 2018 In an era when people increasingly change jobs and careers, the EU needs to strengthen investments in research and innovation, and to equip the workforce with the right set of skills for the 21st century, promoting education that focuses on critical systemic and interdisciplinary thinking, soft skills and flexibility.

Vienna

Future of the European Monetary Union 3 May 2018 Strengthening the EMU should be a broader goal in the strengthening of the European Union itself. In the future, the EU needs less of muddling through and more of getting reforms done.

Sofia

Managing Migration 7 May 2018 A new European response to migration and integration is a civilised need and obligation – especially for the EU which is based on the principle of democracy, human rights and rule of law. liberal bulletin 06 SECOND issue 2018

Rome

EU Climate policies 23 March 2018 To sustain our way of living and leave a healthy planet for future generations, the EU must be a leading force in addressing climate change. Businesses and citizens are key in supporting international cooperation, research and development in low-emission technologies.

Digitalisation, connectivity and ecommerce 7 April 2018 Digitalisation can bring an enormous potential to our societies. However, there is also a major challenge ahead: how to foster and govern innovative technologies while finding a good balance between rights, freedom and security? To this purpose, the EU should boost flows of data across sectors and trust in new technologies.

EU Security and Defence 12 March 2018 The discussion focused on the European security and defence policy, tools and challenges with an emphasis on the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) – an initiative to build defence cooperation without replacing NATO. The fight against new hybrid and cyber threats was also debated.

Mobility and Infrastructure networks 23 April 2018 To ensure sustainable and safe infrastructure as well as to guarantee the free movement of European citizens, the EU institutions must push for Member States to fully commit to mobility and infrastructure programmes and motivate European private investments with clearer programmes.

Human Rights 17 April 2018 The debate was based on a paper produced by the Liberal International Human Rights Committee on pressing human rights issues in Europe, tackling five core topics – business and human rights, women’s rights, minority and refugee rights, LGBTI rights, and freedom of speech.

The Expert Forums in Poland, Sweden, Netherlands, Austria, Germany and Belgium were organised by the European Liberal Forum in cooperation with the ALDE Party.

SECOND issue 2018 07 liberal bulletin

The future is female

www.aldeparty.eu/european-womens-academy

In 2018, politics is still a lonely place for women. Although on the rise, the share of women in national parliaments and in the European Parliament is still far from equal and improvements are often painfully slow. This is not good enough.

This is the reason why the ALDE Party, with the support of European Liberal Forum and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, launched the European Women’s Academy of political leadership and campaigning (EWA) in 2016. This October, the third class of EWA graduated from our annual state of the art training programme.

The EWA equips women running for political office with knowledge and a broad set of tools and skills to help them succeed in their elections.

With the European elections just around the corner, the 2018 EWA was bigger than ever with 30 women from all over Europe taking part.

Over the course of the year, the participants gathered for three long-weekend sessions in Belgium and Germany. The first took place in April, laying the groundwork for a successful political campaign: setting up campaign plans and goals, data-driven campaign strategies, building a campaign team, developing a campaign message and political fundraising. The second session in June built on these topics and focused on shaping a clear message and providing the means to convey it, through storytelling, social media and public speaking. The third and final session in October brought together the earlier pieces and finalised the roadmap to election day.

The ALDE Party is committed to getting more women elected and to helping liberal political parties achieve this goal. Since 2016, over 50 women have graduated from the EWA. The EWA has proved successful with six previous graduates already winning seats and one graduate securing the position of State Secretary within her party. With many elections underway, our aim is to raise this number and the overall share of women in office. And our work is not done yet – while the 2018 EWA is coming to a close, we already look forward to continuing the work with many inspiring and ambitious women aiming for office in 2019.

For any questions regarding how you can support the EWA, please contact ALDE Party’s Fundraising and Engagement Officer Laura Owen at lowen@aldeparty.eu or +32 2 237 01 47 For any questions regarding details of the EWA programme, please contact ALDE Party’s Head of Political Unit Philipp Hansen at phansen@aldeparty.eu or +32 2 551 01 60

liberal bulletin 08 SECOND issue 2018

“ The EWA helps me reach my goals by providing practical knowledge about campaigning, getting data and using it as a resource in the campaign. And what’s crucial – helping us believe in ourselves.

Joanna Burnos, Nowoczesna, Poland

” “ It’s empowering to be in a

training programme with several other women who feel the same and who have the same goals and ambitions. When I leave the programme, I will be a better and stronger politician.

”

Elin Blomqvist-Valtonen, SFP, Finland

“ Thanks to EWA, I am learning to

set my own clear goals for me and my political life, and how to reach them. Now I can go out there and get my own votes.

”

Emily van de Vijver, D66, The Netherlands

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE

Limited edition water bottles to fuel the next generation of female politicians

Our brand new sustainable ALDE Party and EWA ”The future is female” water bottles are now available in the ALDE Party webshop.

Get yours today and help reduce plastic waste while marking your support for gender equality in politics! Available at www.aldeparty.eu SECOND issue 2018 09 liberal bulletin

Young liberals that will shape our future

INTERVIEW

Svenja Hahn LYMEC President Last April, Svenja Hahn was elected as the new President of our youth organisation, the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC). In this interview, she talks about her personal story of why and when she first got involved in politics and shares with us her thoughts on the importance of young politics and her vision of the present and the future of Europe. She is also a member of the ALDE Manifesto Drafting Committee and a participant of our 2018 European Women’s Academy.

liberal bulletin 10 SECOND issue 2018

When did you get involved in politics and why?

I got into politics in 2009 when I started university. I was very excited about going to the lectures, but I couldn’t as students were protesting for an overhaul of the Bologna reform and were blocking the facilities. I was really puzzled because education won’t get any better if people are kept away from getting one. So, I realised that if I wanted to make a change, I had to go where things begin: politics. I became member of the liberal students and ran for the student council and soon realised that I wanted to do more. I became a member of the Liberal Youth and the FDP and got involved at a state and national level, and I discovered my love for European affairs and became a board member of the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC) in 2014 for the first time. European politics has been “the thing” for me ever since because that is where the big decisions of our time are taken and where one has to be to make a difference.

Would you say that young people have a different perspective than more senior politicians? In what way?

Every young politician has at least once been told: “You are too young, you have too little experience”. But that is exactly the strength of young people. We have the courage to try something new, to propose something that has never been done before. Just because something has always been done in a specific way won’t hold us back. Politics need to be as diverse as society, therefore we need all different kind of politicians shaping our future. Everyone can add a special something.

“Politics need to be

as diverse as society, therefore we need all different kind of politicians shaping our future.

conservatives and socialists are over.

It is time for a new way of thinking.

We should ask ourselves, who has the courage to make a change. Who encourages people to create the life they dreamt about or who prefers to frighten them?

Who wants to find the best and pragmatic solution for every challenge? Who identifies these challenges and isn’t afraid to dive deep in there to change them? It is us, liberals, that are ready to take it on! Because liberalism is the answer to today’s problems. Liberals don’t think in black and white patterns, they think in opportunities and challenges.

You represented the European Liberal Youth as a member of the ALDE Manifesto Drafting Committee. What’s LYMEC’s perspective on what should be the main messages from liberals for the next European elections?

As LYMEC, we want to hear a loud and clear “Yes” to the European Union and see an ambitious concept to reshape it for the better. We want a European Union that speaks with one voice and that is ready to take up the challenges of our time.

Last July, we launched a survey among our member organisations where we asked for their priorities for the next European elections and what topics they would like LYMEC to focus on in its political activities. By a large margin, six areas were deemed most important: migration, asylum and refugee crisis; security and defence; climate change, environment and energy; digitalisation, innovation and Single Market; education, labour market and youth unemployment and the future of the EU with the need for institutional reforms and the need to stand up for our values especially human rights and equality.

“I rather see being a

young woman as a double opportunity and a mandate to give more room and a voice to two groups that are both still too under-represented in politics.

”

This year you also participated in our European Women’s Academy.

Is it a double challenge to be a young person and a woman in politics?

I rather see being a young woman as a double opportunity and a mandate to give more room and a voice to two groups that are both still too under-represented in politics. The European Women’s Academy is a great programme to help female politicians grow and build a cross party network to make sure their voice is heard. Just like LYMEC, it is a place for young politicians to gain experience and make friendships that often last a lifetime.

Could you name your top three inspiring liberal figures and briefly explain why?

As we just spoke about women in politics, I would like to go with three liberal women that have inspired me.

In my student years, one of the most discussed liberal figures was Hildegard Hamm-Brücher, she was one of the first female German State Secretaries in the 1960s and 70s and shaped FDP’s position especially in education. And of course, Simone Veil who has been one of the most iconic fighters for female rights and European integration. A current person no list of liberal female role models would be complete without is Margrethe Vestager. In her position as European Commissioner she proves how liberal ideas can shape Europe and the world.

”

In your acceptance speech as the new President of LYMEC last April in Berlin you said: “Liberals think in opportunities and challenges.” What do you mean by that?

I believe we have seen many changes in the political landscapes all over Europe.

The time for categories like left and right,

LYMEC Bureau, April 2018

SECOND issue 2018 11 liberal bulletin

‘All human beings are born free and equal’ OPINION

Markus Löning ALDE Party Vice President Chairman of the Liberal International Human Rights committee On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, Markus Löning argues why we should cherish what we have advanced since 1948 in the field of human rights, but also points out all the challenges coming up and why Liberals should be at the forefront of this fight. liberal bulletin 12 SECOND issue 2018

Imagine Europe in 1948: devastated by World War II, tens of millions killed, the horrors of the Holocaust just over, millions of refugees, poverty and hunger everywhere, a lack of housing and health services. At the same time, many regions beyond Europe were hardly in a better shape. Now contrast this with the world as we know it today.

What an unbelievable difference.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights may not be the sole reason for positive change since 1948, but it has a major role in it; it is the light shining the way.

The share of the population living in poverty, hunger and poor health has significantly dropped, more mothers and children are surviving, the literacy rate especially among girls has gone up, more people are living in free and democratic countries than ever before. These are just a few examples, as the correlation between the development of human rights and economic growth, which is improving education, health and standard of living, is obvious.

So, should we celebrate? Certainly.

But we shouldn’t be complacent. New challenges are coming up all the time. And Liberals should take them seriously. Let me give three examples: 1. Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the Syrian Civil War. The EU and its Member States have taken no successful political initiative to end it. On the contrary, we complained about the Americans not doing enough, and the Russians doing the wrong things. The EU may be dreaming about being a major power, but for now we shy away from taking the burden of this responsibility on our shoulders. We are making ourselves small, leaving the political space to Russia, Turkey and Iran.

It took time before we realised how important it was to give the countries hosting most of the refugees from Syria the support they need. Now we are debating how to treat refugees – or better how to keep them out – in an utterly shameful way. We claim to be a beacon of human rights, but our public discourse – and a lot of our policies – are dominated by right-wing populists and nationalists.

We must step up our efforts to protect people’s life and safety by finally starting a peace initiative that meets our ambitions. The same goes for the way we treat refugees. They need and deserve our help and protection. Liberals should not shy away from being very clear about this.

“The Universal Declaration of

Human Rights may not be the sole reason for positive change since 1948, but it has a major role in it; it is the light shining the way.

unprecedented 40 million. This is not only happening in far-away countries. Slavery and abuse are taking place in our own building and agricultural sectors to name just two. Eradicating slavery within the EU must be a top priority for Liberals.

Beyond this, we should look at our trade. Free trade agreements like the ones with Japan or Canada include provisions to protect human rights. But as long as workers are dying because production sites collapse or burn while producing shirts for the EU market we are not doing enough.

It is a big challenge to protect human rights in supply chains.

But Liberals should not leave this debate to those that advocate protectionism. We should actively engage to protect those that are producing the mobile phones and shirts we love so much.

“Liberals will be at the forefront

of defending this first sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights even if it may be politically uncomfortable at times. Because we want to celebrate freedom and equality of all again and again.

”

3. My third example looks at the way we are living together. Our societies are changing. People are moving between EU countries, people from the outside come to live, study and work with us.

Some are staying. Others are leaving again. Some European countries have a long tradition of living with minorities, to some countries it seems like a new challenge.

How good are we in fighting for people that belong to ethnic or cultural minorities? A recent study has shown how much more difficult it is to get a job interview if you’re called Mehmet and not Markus. And that’s just one problem of many. Are we addressing racism sufficiently and giving all citizens the feeling, they belong to our societies?

Bart Somers, the Liberal Mayor of the Belgian town of Mechelen, has set an example how to deal with prejudice and racism. I believe Europe has a lot to learn from his work. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Liberals will be at the forefront of defending this first sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights even if it may be politically uncomfortable at times. Because we want to celebrate freedom and equality of all again and again.

Markus Löning ALDE Party Vice President Chairman of the Liberal International Human Rights committee

”

2. The EU is the biggest trading block in the world. We are setting standards and rules when it comes to global trade. The expansion of global trade in the last 30 years has been of enormous advantage for European consumers, workers and companies. Our standard of living has risen, new jobs were created, and better and more affordable products became available.

At the same time, the worldwide number of children and grown-ups working under slave-like conditions has grown to an

Refugee camp in Jordan close to the Syrian border

SECOND issue 2018 13 liberal bulletin

Meet the Individual Members Congress delegates The 39th ALDE Party Congress will take place from 8-10 November in Madrid. Individual members will be represented at this key event by elected Congress delegates. Over the summer, an election was held to choose their representatives, and four delegates were elected: Silvia Fernandez, Laura Hidalgo, Nadia Bennis and Wolf Achim Wiegand.

Ahead of the Congress, delegates submitted resolutions and amendments, which were drafted in a democratic and collaborative process. During the event, these delegates have the right to take part in the meetings of the Congress and to voice their opinion in plenary as well as they have the right to vote on behalf of the ALDE Party Individual Members.

Find out more about the elected Congress delegates and their motivations!

Individual Members

Silvia Fernandez As an Individual Member delegate, my priorities will be: to strengthen our impact within the ALDE Party, achieve a smarter and closer cooperation, and a more sustainable Europe. Time’s up! Let’s empower Europe together!

Laura Hidalgo I am a law student in Brussels and have been campaigning since I was 18 for the European project and liberalism. In fact, I am the President of the Federation of Liberal Students in Brussels and Wallonia.

Nadia Bennis Liberal, multicultural and proud to be European, let’s work together for a powerful manifesto and for a liberal, united and innovative EU. Key issues for us in Spain are promoting employment, environmental initiatives and the well-being of all EU citizens.

liberal bulletin 14 SECOND issue 2018

Wolf Achim Wiegand At the 2017 ALDE Party Congress, I supported our only successful resolution.

Now I know how Congress works.

Liberalism is close to my heart and Europe is my passion. Let’s push through our politics one more time!

Act!

Ever wondered what the most famous liberal faces in Europe think about Steve Bannon, the environment or Brexit?

Ever wished you could receive invitations to our upcoming events around Europe before anyone else?

Ever wanted to enter competitions to design our new merchandise or have your say on the direction of our European party?

Then you need to subscribe to Act - Our weekly mailing list!

You will receive important updates from us once a week, and you can choose the information you want to see. Care about the economy more than the Common Agricultural Policy or the Common Fisheries Policy? More interested in tackling terrorism than fighting Brexit? You will be emailed a survey as soon as you sign up where you can tell us your preferences, because we want to send you the information you care about.

Click subscribe now on our website www.aldeparty.eu Building our future liberal Europe. Together.

CHECK OUT THE ALDE PARTY WEBSHOP www.aldeparty.eu SECOND issue 2018 15 liberal bulletin

Social media highlights Facebook /aldeparty

liberal bulletin 16 SECOND issue 2018

Twitter @aldeparty

Instagram @aldeparty

SECOND issue 2018 17 liberal bulletin

Movers & shakers Beate Meinl-Reisinger Beate Meinl-Reisinger is the newly-elected Chair of NEOS. Until her election, she was NEOS’ Vice President, and from 2013 to 2015, she was a member of the Austrian National Council.

Since 2015, she has been a member of the Vienna Landtag and the Vienna City Council. In her election speech, she stated: “The commitment to a common Europe is our value.”

Cecilia Malmström Cecilia Malmström is the European Commissioner for Trade. Under her guidance, the EU has removed the highest number of trade barriers faced by EU companies doing business abroad in response to a surge in protectionism.

“Ensuring that our companies have access to foreign markets is at the heart of our trade policy,” she said.

Kaja Kallas

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy is the coordinator of the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. In June, after months of negotiations, the Parliament and the Council agreed to increase the ambition of the EU’s targets on energy efficiency which play a crucial role in the fight against climate change.

liberal bulletin 18 SECOND issue 2018

Kaja Kallas is the new leader of the Estonian Reform Party. In her first speech as new leader in April, she said that the party’s goal should be “to build a smart and self-sufficient state, which meets future challenges.” Under her leadership, the Reform Party will start preparing for next year’s parliamentary and European elections in Estonia.

More and more citizens think and act across borders.

ALDE Party’s individual membership allows us to engage and involve individuals to help us build a stronger pan- European party. Join us today!

NOT YET A MEMBER joinus.aldeparty.eu

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party Rue d’Idalie 11 - Box 2 1050 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 237 01 40 Fax: +32 2 231 19 07 info@aldeparty.eu www.aldeparty.eu

/aldeparty @aldeparty @aldeparty /company/aldeparty

Cover photo: The Metropolis building at night, Madrid.

/aldeparty

ALDE Party - Produced: October 2018 - With the support of the European Parliament

/aldeparty