ALDE Charter of Values

We, the liberal parties affiliated to the ALDE Party, are dedicated to the promotion and strengthening of

liberal values across Europe, and affirm our commitment to this undertaking through our daily activities

in our respective countries and through our enhanced cooperation together as part of a pan-European

political family.

We liberals believe and trust in the power and abilities of the individual. We believe that everyone should

be able to determine their own destinies, in a society where there are equal opportunities for all, and

where no one faces any discrimination based upon race, ethnicity, caste, heritage, culture, language,

sexuality, class, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

Dignity and freedom for every individual are the building blocks of peace, prosperity, and progress to

make the world a better place. We recognise that an individual’s identity, which can be fluid and change

over time, is a complex and heterogeneous construct that is formed as a result of a myriad of factors,

including history, biology, daily experience and personal choice.

Every individual has the right to freedom of expression, to respect for privacy, to integrity of one’s body,

to self-determination, to follow faith and beliefs of their choosing in compliance with the Law and

European values.

Freedoms and responsibilities are the foundation of liberal democratic societies of free peoples.

Responsibility and therefore freedom are inseparable: individuals must bear responsibility for

themselves as well as others and future generations.

We believe that the role of the state is to provide the opportunities for all citizens to attain these ideals;

and to be empowered and be able to take part in the decision-making that affects their lives.

The state should be the guardian and promoter of individual freedoms, the rights of minorities, and

function based on the principles of secularism and the rule of law, and in respect of the separation of

powers including an independent judiciary.

In a liberal democracy, governments derive their power from the trust and confidence of citizens though

free and fair elections.

We believe that decisions should be taken at the level as close to the citizen as possible, that we should

exercise open government and ensure high standards of transparency in decision-making, and foster an

environment of trust, contestability and accountability.

Reasonable debate, responsible conduct, respect for evidence, tolerance of diverse opinions, and

freedom of the press sustain the public life of open societies. Whilst authoritarian, nationalist and

populist forces seek to undermine the openness, pluralism and tolerance at the heart of our European

society, we pledge to prioritise and emphasise these our values as well as bringing politics closer to every

citizen so that they can make decisions about their lives. It is our responsibility to support the struggle

for freedom and democracy in authoritarian countries, in Europe and beyond.

We believe that the state should enable an equality of opportunities, rather than equality of outcomes,

and we recognise that welfare systems need to be in place to prevent people falling through and to

provide individuals with new chances in life.

This must include empowering youth and promoting intergenerational dialogue and fairness to ensure

that the generations that follow do not have fewer opportunities than the present. We believe that high

quality education accessible to all plays a vital role, and ensuring the transfer of knowledge and skills

through education available at all stages of life offers the best opportunity for individuals to meet the

challenges of an ever-changing world.

We have an obligation to be good ancestors. We have a duty to build a continent whole, strong and at

peace for our children and grandchildren and to foster youth civic engagement and political participation.

Ultimately, we must do no harm; we must all take responsibility of ourselves but not at the expense of

current or future individuals.

We want to leave a healthy planet to future generations. To do this, we must ensure we use our natural

resources responsibly and strive for a liberal approach to achieving a clean, safe, healthy and sustainable

environment. Liberals believe that we have a specific responsibility to develop, promote and instigate

actions and progress by innovation that will protect our natural world alongside the development of

systems to protect and enhance our natural world environments and their biodiversity.

We want to see Europe leading by example in the world, driving innovation and the upward progression of

standards. We recognise that the biggest challenges facing us today are best tackled together. We regard

forging strong alliances of free countries and liberals to stand for freedom and cooperation as an

effective means of promoting our values, increasing prosperity for our citizens, and ensuring our

collective security.

We must work to fix inequalities of power and wealth in our societies, to fight corruption, and to combat

social exclusion. We are committed to eradicating poverty, oppression, hunger and disease. We are

committed to guaranteeing hospitality, education, social and work inclusion to refugees who flee their

own countries to be part of the European family and who want to contribute to its growth. We pledge to

stand up against acts of aggression that threaten sovereign nations and the rules-

based international order wherever and whenever they occur.

We have a positive view on globalisation and other global trends that generate economic growth and jobs

worldwide. We stand for open, rules-based, free and fair trade, which necessitates a well-functioning

global rules system to ensure a level playing field for all. Our vision is anchored in the freedoms of

movement of ideas, people, goods, services, and capital. Free market economy is key in creating well-

being and prosperity, and the only economic system that can be combined with individual freedom. We

are advocates of free competition and will continue to protect this from abuses by governments,

gatekeepers, monopolies, and cartels.

We must build and foster a strong and sustainable economy in which everyone everywhere can thrive,

that raises living standards for all, and does not benefit only a few at the detriment of the many.

We must continue to invest in research and scientific innovation, and ensure that we harness the positive

developments of rapidly-changing digital and advancing technologies for the good of our societies and

ensure that our fundamental human rights as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are

protected both online and offline.

By our very nature, liberals are optimists. We are reformers and we constantly strive for progress that

brings greater freedoms and rights to the individual. We see opportunities where others see challenges,

and believe that our liberal values and beliefs offer the best guiding principles to our actions in our own