About: ALDE
Verhofstadt sides with Macron for the European elections
The Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the European liberals and democrats (ALDE), confirmed in an interview with our partner Ouest-France that he will be campaigning with French President Emmanuel Macron at the European elections in May 2019. The common movement will be launched in October.
Putting the ‘European’ into the European elections
When the so-called “Spitzenkandidaten” or lead candidate method for designating the Commission president was introduced in 2014, it was celebrated as a democratic revolution. Five years later, it is difficult to find anyone seriously questioning the method - but the enthusiasm has somewhat washed away, writes Christopher Glück.
Presidents, elections and grey-haired men
With a year to go until the European Parliament elections and the appointment of a new European Commission, the EU is yet again at a crossroads. But unlike Robert Johnson, the EU is unlikely to sell its soul to play a mean guitar, writes Tom Parker.
Trans-Europe Express – Having 5-Star in ALDE wasn’t a bad idea
As Italy gets closer to having a cabinet dominated by the 5-Star Movement, the rejection of this force by the liberal ALDE group in January 2017 increasingly looks like a strategic mistake.
Macron’s party seen outperforming French rivals in 2019 EU elections
French President Emmanuel Macron's party is seen easily outperforming its rivals in next year's European Parliament elections, the first poll on the issue showed on Wednesday (16 May), which could give a boost to his EU reform plans.
Dan Barna: Save Romania Union similar to Macron’s En Marche
Dan Barna, President of Save Romania Union (USR), told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview that his force, which largely represents educated urban voters, could join the European political family of Emmanuel Macron’s La République En Marche! party.
Europe’s liberals prepare for overthrow of Grand Coalition
Liberals in Europe want to overthrow the European cartel of power held by conservative and social democrats and are targeting victory in the upcoming European elections in 2019. Can their offensive possibly succeed? Wolf Achim Wiegand looks at their chances.
Czech MEP: ‘We cannot blame Brussels for our own failures’
We have to stop the “us” and “them” rhetoric in which we blame the European institutions, says Martina Dlabajová, a Czech liberal MEP and member of the ANO movement which is heading for victory in the upcoming Czech parliamentary elections.
Czech police charge leading candidate with EU funding fraud
Andrej Babiš, the Czech billionaire who is a leading candidate to become prime minister in elections next week, said yesterday (9 October) that he had been charged with fraud over EU subsidies received by one of his companies.
Verhofstadt: Brexit is ‘a very negative project’, but it helped revive EU popularity
Brexit is "a very negative project" but has nonetheless helped to revive the popularity of the EU and spur demands for change, the European Parliament's pointman on divorce proceedings said yesterday (28 September).
Half-digital Czech Republic anxious about cyber stability
The Czech Republic is one of the EU leaders in e-commerce. However, it is one of the worst in e-government. For example, one of the ministries uses 125 mutually unconnected databases. EURACTIV.cz reports.
Billionaire Czech politician leading polls rules out joining euro
The Czech Republic should not adopt the euro because it would "bring nothing good," former finance minister Andrej Babis, the front-runner in October's general election, said in an interview today (1 June).
French MEPs left cold as Strasbourg goes giddy over Macron
The new French president was the main topic of conversation among visibly excited MEPs in Strasbourg this week. But the French themselves were among the least enthusiastic. EURACTIV France reports.
As Macron forms party, Brussels ponders its affiliation
Emmanuel Macron's start-up political party on Thursday (11 May) announced a list of 428 candidates for French parliamentary elections in June, a move likely to shake up French politics. In Brussels, the liberal ALDE group hopes En Marche! will join its ranks.
Orbán: Hungary has no big issue with EU, it has a problem with Soros
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he was committed to the EU and accused US billionaire George Soros of "attacking" his country yesterday (26 April) as he defended a law that could close down a university founded by the philanthropist.
Czech minister wants to guarantee the right to keep and bear arms
A constitutional amendment would enable Czechs to acquire and possess a gun for security purposes. This is a partial response to the proposed EU Firearms Directive. EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.
Farage disparages Muslim immigration, says Europeans agree
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage expressed anger at the European Union in a heated debate this morning (14 February). Farage stated that leaders are ignoring the true wishes of Europeans.
EU unemployment: Declining, but dependent on labour mobility
Britain’s exit from the EU could slow down Europe’s economic growth. However, unemployment forecasts remain positive. The latest Eurostat figures show that the number of jobless has been steadily declining. Aktuálně reports.
Political analyst: Romania is undergoing a second ‘democratic’ revolution
The mass demonstrations that have swept Romania since 29 January have kicked off a social insurrection, the likes of which has not been seen since the overthrow of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, Octavian Milewski told Euractiv Poland.
EU party leaders team up to reject Trump ambassador
The three major “pro-European” groups in the European Parliament, the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the ALDE liberals, have taken the position that the EU should reject Ted R. Malloch as US ambassador to the EU.
Schulz’s departure paves way for leftist alliance in EU Parliament
The decision of former European Parliament President Martin Schulz to return to national politics came as a “relief” for the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) who now have their hands free to forge alliances with political parties on the left, S&D sources told EURACTIV in Strasbourg.
Verhofstadt drops out of EU Parliament race, backs EPP
The right-wing European People’s Party (EPP) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) decided to form a pro-European coalition that will support EPP candidate for the Parliament presidency Antonio Tajani. EURACTIV.com reports from Strasbourg.
Greens’ Parliament candidate: ‘I’m actually radical’
One of the outside candidates for the European Parliament Presidency explains why a Brit, a woman and a Green should get the job – even if her respectable appearance and former job as a teacher doesn’t prevent her from going on demos.