About: ALDE
With Loiseau’s withdrawal, leadership questions arise for ‘Renew Europe’
Nathalie Loiseau has withdrawn her candidacy to lead the new centrist group in the European Parliament, raising questions about French leadership in the EU assembly. EURACTIV France reports.
EU liberals change name to appease new French members
The main centrist political group in the EU parliament changed its name on Wednesday (12 June) after receiving an influx of new French members who shy away from the term "liberal".
Vestager’s grand plan for regulating the digital economy
The EU should be "ready to act" should social values such as "privacy, freedom and fairness" be under threat from expanding digital monopolies, the bloc's Competition Chief Margrethe Vestager said on Monday (3 April).
Parliament calls for Spitzenkandidat to be respected, liberals oppose it
The process of naming the next Commission president should respect the Spitzenkandidaten system, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament said in a joint statement on Tuesday (28 May), despite opposition from the liberal ALDE group.
Vestager: Voice of the people asking for change must be respected
Margrethe Vestager is the Commissioner for competition and the lead candidate for the Liberals in the race for the European Commission presidency. As the European People’s Party and the Socialists will not able to form a majority, she might be the ‘Queenmaker’ in this game of thrones.
Czechs go to the polls, embattled PM set to win
Czechs will start voting Friday (24 May) in the European Parliament election, with the party of their embattled billionaire prime minister set to win amid expected low turnout and despite protests against his cabinet.
EU elections: Will 2019 be the year of climate action?
Climate change is now a top priority for EU voters, so where do the parities stand when it comes to climate action? Elisa Giannelli, explores.
Why centrists in European Parliament are prepared to drop the term ‘liberal’
The incoming centrist group in the European Parliament should no longer be calling itself "liberal". This could also lead to the group leaning more towards the left. EURACTIV France reports.
Macron’s party presents election programme in Berlin
Two weeks before the European elections, Emmanuel Macron’s La Republique en Marche (LREM) party published its election programme and is now attempting to mobilise pro-European voters, including those in Berlin. EURACTIV German reports.
EXCLUSIVE: Macron’s Renaissance to reveal allies in Strasbourg
Eight European parties will meet up with Macron’s Renaissance party tomorrow (11 May 2019) in Strasbourg. For allies of France’s leading party in the European Parliament, the wait is over and they can now form a group of 100 centrists. EURACTIV France reports.
Margrethe Vestager, a competitive approach to environmental policy
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, a Liberal candidate to be the next Commission President, believes the key to improving Europe’s environment and fighting climate change will be implementing the laws already on the books.
Liberalism in Portugal
Although successful economically, Portugal remains at the mercy of rampant bureaucratisation, writes Ricardo Arroja, a political newcomer who champions decentralisation and a citizen-centred state in his native country as well as in Europe.
Pro-European candidates for EU election identify Council as the ‘common enemy’
An oddly uncontroversial debate between the lead candidates of the four major pro-European political families at this month's EU elections took place in Florence on Thursday (2 May).
Greens: Bulgarian media mogul ‘the kind of people we are fighting against’
Ahead of the World Press Freedom day, the European Greens presented on Tuesday (30 April) proposals for how to guarantee media freedom in Europe. The real question, however, will be how to deal with 'rogue elements' from inside the EU institutions.
En Marche vs Merkel: Macron’s party criticises German Chancellor for not being bold enough
Merkel and Macron do not go hand in hand when it comes to the European elections. The French ruling party is using this for verbal attacks on the German Chancellor. EURACTIV’s media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Vestager campaigns on hostile French territory
Danish Commissioner Vestager, centrist figurehead and part of French Macronists' future family in the European Parliament, does not have support from the French government for fear she will stand in the way of French candidate Michel Barnier. EURACTIV France reports.
French Macronists eye coup-like raid on Europe’s liberals
Macronists want to push the political boundaries of the liberal ALDE group in the European Parliament after the May EU elections, going as far as suggesting a name change for the centrist party. But their gamble is far from being won, EURACTIV France reports.
Macron’s party launches eclectic list for the European elections
The “Renaissance” list for the European elections, presented last week, contains unexpected profiles – an oceanographer, a beef farmer, and a sailor – with a connection to the EU as a common denominator. EURACTIV France reports.
EPP has ‘lost all credibility’ after Orbán scandal, Verhofstadt says
The European People's Party has “lost all credibility and moral authority to lead the EU,” ALDE's leader Guy Verhofstadt has said, following the EPP's decision to suspend but not expel Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party.
Vestager joins EU Commission presidency race
EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager will compete to be the next president of the European Commission, as Europe’s liberals are set to name the Dane among a team of lead candidates that also includes Guy Verhofstadt, Belgium's former Prime Minister.
EPP more likely to expel Fidesz if rival groups also ditch troublemakers
If mainstream political groups do not collectively expel their bad apples it could spell an end to measures by the EU to protect democracy in its member countries, write Jean Morijn and Israel Butler.
Merkel distances herself from Macron’s Europe vision
Less than two months after celebrating a new Franco-German treaty, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron are diverging on the future of Europe in the run-up to European Parliament elections in May.
Commission to rule on Czech PM conflict of interest ahead of EU elections
Facing conflict of interest proceedings under tightened EU rules, billionaire Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš may soon become the first European politician found in violation of the bloc's new law.