- This article covers the pan-European political party founded by Declan Ganley in 2008. For the lobby group involved in the 2008 Lisbon Treaty referendum, see the Libertas Institute.
Libertas is a political party founded by Declan Ganley that took part in the European Parliament election, 2009 in several member states of the European Union. [edit] History [edit] Preamble In 2008, the Libertas Institute Limited, a lobby group founded by Declan Ganley and others, advocated a "no" vote in Lisbon I, the 2008 referendum in Ireland on the Treaty of Lisbon. Lisbon I failed. The referendum was held on 12 June 2008[9] and defeated by 53.4% to 46.6%, with a turnout of 53.1%.[10] [edit] Creation Libertas held a post-referendum celebration in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin on the night of Friday, 13 June 2008.[11] Attending that celebration was Danish Eurosceptic[12] and former President of the EUDemocrats[13] and recently retired[14] MEP Jens-Peter Bonde,[11] who had been a "no" campaigner during the referendum.[11] Bonde was later cited as one of the main architects of the upgrading of Libertas to a political party at European level.[15][16] On 15 July 2008, RTÉ News on Two covered Ganley's comments at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., where he stated that Libertas intended running as a political party at European level. The next day Ganley confirmed that Libertas was fundraising in order to run candidates throughout Europe in the 2009 European Parliament elections.[17] On September 20 2008, the Irish Times reported[18] that Bonde and Czech president Václav Klaus pledged to help Ganley to launch Libertas. The two were later amongst the guests at a dinner hosted by Ganley at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on Tuesday November 11 2008.[19] On 30 October 2008 Ganley registered a company based in Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway[nb 1][1][2] called the Libertas Party Limited.[20][nb 1][1][2] The Irish Times reported that the new party was intended to "carry on the business of a European political party".[20] The party was publicly announced in December 2008[21] with ambitions to field up to 400[21] candidates and win seats in all 27[21] EU member states. [edit] Recognition attempt In early 2009 Libertas applied to be recognised by the European Parliament as a political party at European level. The application was briefly successful but then suspended indefinitely amidst controversy. [edit] Development Ganley then travelled around Europe to set up Libertas lists and parties for the European Parliament election, 2009.[22] In November 2008 Libertas opened its Brussels office.[23] Libertas launched in France on 12 February 2009,[24] the Netherlands on 15 April,[25] followed by several other European Union member states.[26] On 1 May 2009 Libertas held its first pan-European party convention in Rome[27] in time for the European Parliament elections in June, when it would field hundreds of candidates for election.[26] [edit] Endgame Libertas fielded over 600 candidates (including substitutes), but only one was elected: Phillippe de Villiers.[28] Ganley requested a recount of his personal vote but still lost.[28][29] Ganley retired from politics on 8 June 2009:[29][28] the fate of the party he founded, chaired, owned and governed was left to others.[28] - For the local Libertas staff in each member state, see the articles below this section.
[edit] Structure Libertas's intended structure evolved with time. It was originally intended to be an alliance of national parties,[4] but it was later envisaged as a single pan-European party with candidates running as individual members of Libertas.[4] By the end of April 2009, Libertas's structure had settled into a loose association of national member parties (either new or pre-existing), with each member party adhering to a set of core principles (see below) but retaining its independence and adding on additional policies as it felt appropriate.[36] For the purposes of contending the 2009 European Parliament elections, Libertas candidates ran under lists (the lists of candidates presented to voters in a European election) branded with the Libertas identity, as exemplified by the French approach.[24][37] Each list was made up of some combination of the following: - members of member parties
- members of affiliate parties (parties that were not members of Libertas.eu but cooperated with it electorally)
- individual members (people who chose to join Libertas.eu as individuals).
New national member parties established by Libertas had names in the "Libertas X" format, e.g. "Libertas Sweden"[38] (except in the UK[nb 2]). Pre-existing national member parties were asked to change their names to include the word "Libertas" in the title.[39] Members of member parties were members of Libertas automatically unless they chose otherwise. Affiliate parties retained their original names.[40][41] Members of affiliate parties were not members of Libertas unless they chose to join as individuals. [edit] Position Ganley stated that following a group conference in Rome in March 2009, (later postponed to 1 May 2009[42]) Libertas would publish a policy document or party manifesto. covering areas such as democracy, the economy, small businesses, the recession, and EU institution accountability.[4][5] No formal manifesto was published at the convention.[43] Instead, Libertas's core principles were displayed on its website[44] and reiterated at its convention,[43] namely accountability, transparency, democracy and rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. Each member party and individual member was obliged to adhere to these core principles,[36] although they could add additional policies as they felt appropriate.[43] Affiliate parties were not obliged to so adhere. The core principles were given concrete form when Libertas published the following policies on its website:[45] - The powers of legislative initiative, inspection and decision should be reserved to elected officials.
- Expenses of the European Parliament and European Commission to be published.
- European Commission to identify €10 billion in savings for financial year 2010/11.
- Any given Constitution Treaty to be ratified by referendums in each member state.
- Meetings in Brussels[nb 3] to be reduced by 50%.
[edit] Membership [edit] Member parties Member parties were members of Libertas.eu. Members of member parties were automatically members of Libertas.eu unless they chose otherwise.  Estonia
-
 Germany
-
 Ireland
-
 Malta
-
 Netherlands
-
 Poland
-
 Sweden
-
 United Kingdom
-
[edit] Affiliate parties Affiliate parties were not members of Libertas.eu but cooperated with it electorally under Libertas lists. Members of affiliate parties were not members of Libertas.eu unless they chose to join as individuals.  Czech Republic
-
 France
-
Germany -
 Greece
-
 Latvia
-
Poland -
 Portugal
-
- Earth Party (Partido da Terra, PT), formerly the Movement the Earth Party (Movimento Partido da Terra, MPT)
 Slovakia
-
-
 Spain
-
[edit] Individual members Individual members were people who chose to join Libertas.eu as individuals. People with no national party membership who were running under a Libertas list were automatically individual members. [edit] 2009 European Parliament elections Lists were the lists of candidates presented to the voter at election. The candidates were members of member parties, members of affiliate parties, or individual members. Libertas lists for the 2009 European Parliament elections were as follows: Czech Republic -
Estonia -
France -
Greece -
Germany -
Ireland -
Latvia -
Malta -
Netherlands -
Poland -
Portugal -
Slovakia -
Spain -
United Kingdom -
[edit] Unrealised lists Libertas lists that were unable to run candidates for the election were as follows:  Austria
-
 Belgium
-
- Unrealised Libertas list in Belgium
 Bulgaria
-
 Cyprus
-
- Unrealised Libertas list in Cyprus
 Denmark
-
- Unrealised Libertas list in Denmark
 Finland
-
- Unrealised Libertas list in Finland
 Hungary
-
 Italy
-
 Luxembourg
-
- Unrealised Libertas list in Luxembourg
 Lithuania
-
 Romania
-
- Unrealised Libertas list in Romania
Sweden -
[edit] Results The Libertas results in the European Parliament election, 2009 were as follows: [edit] Commonality with other organizations Libertas was registered at Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway along with other organisations associated with Libertas and/or Declan Ganley.[82][83][84][85][86][87] A list of organizations associated with Libertas.eu and/or Declan Ganley is given here. [edit] See also - ^ a b c d The CRO entry for the Libertas Party gives these details:
- Type: Company
- Number: 463758
- Name: The Libertas Party Limited,
- Address: Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland
- Registered: 30 October 2008
- ^ The UK could not adopt a "Libertas X" format name because that name had already been registered with the Electoral Commission. The Libertas.eu member parties in the UK are "Pro-Democracy: Libertas.eu" and "Libertas Northern Ireland"
- ^ Whether the term "Brussels" was used here to refer to the seat of the European Commission in Brussels, or to the seat of the European Parliament in Brussels, or to the seat of the Council of the European Union in Brussels, or to all of these, was not specified.
- ^ Libertas's website gives a total of 22 people, made up of 11 actual candidates (bewerber) and their 11 substitute candidates (ersatzbewerber). Substitute candidates, (a.k.a. "alternates" or "replacements") were those people who replace the elected candidate if s/he dies or is otherwise disqualified from sitting in the European Parliament
- ^ Kazimierz Wilk and Barbara Czyż resigned from Libertas, reducing the originally-reported total of 130 by two
- ^ Benjamin Caradoc Tallis resigned from Libertas, reducing the originally-reported total of 57 by one
[edit] References - ^ a b c d "Entry for the Libertas Party Limited", at www.ukdata.com
- ^ a b c "Entry for the Libertas Party Limited", at www.solocheck.ie
- ^ "Contact Libertas" on the www.libertas.eu
- ^ a b c d "Ganley: EU parliament trying to 'stymie' Libertas party bid", theParliament.com, 19 February 2009
- ^ a b "Ganley: Germany has 'enormous potential' for Libertas", EurActiv.com, Wednesday 11 February 2009
- ^ "Libertas told to return to 'political hinterland'", theParliament.com, 11 February 2009
- ^ "Anti-Lisbon treaty party to get EU funds", Focus News Agency, 2 February 2009
- ^ "Hjälp Libertas bli ett registrerat parti" Libertas website, Thursday, 26 February 2009, English translation here
- ^ "12 June pencilled in as date for Lisbon Treaty vote". BreakingNews.ie. 2 April 2008. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojojidojau/. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
- ^ "Results received at the Central Count Centre for the Referendum on The Lisbon Treaty". Referendum Returning Officer, referendum.ie. 13 June 2008. http://www.referendum.ie/current/index.asp?ballotid=78. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
- ^ a b c "Europe caught in our offside trap", Sunday Times June 15, 2008
- ^ "Lisbon treaty to bring more power to officials-critics in Prague", 13 January 2009, ČeskéNoviny.cz
- ^ "Bonde calls for Referendum in 2009", EUDemocrats press release, July 22, 2008
- ^ "Bonde's last speech in the Parliament"
- ^ "Anti-Lisbon party obtains EU recognition and funding", EurActive.com, Tuesday 3 February 2009
- ^ "Libertas set to emerge as political party as candidates unveiled", Monday, February 02, 2009
- ^ "Libertas may contest European elections" Irish Times, Wed, Jul 16, 2008
- ^ "Eurosceptics to help Ganley if he is MEP candidate", Irish Times, Saturday, September 20, 2008
- ^ "Ganley's dinner party was a meeting of minds" Irish Times, Thursday, November 13, 2008
- ^ a b "Ganley registers Libertas as a European political party" from the Irish Times, Saturday 1 November 2008
- ^ a b c "Libertas to seek a Euro majority", The Sunday Times, December 13, 2008
- ^ Arnold, Bruce (2009). The Fight for Democracy – The Libertas Voice in Europe. A series of interviews with Declan Ganley by Bruce Arnold. ISBN: 978-1-905706-18-1. Killynon House Books Ltd.
- ^ Ganley's Brussels office opens for business
- ^ a b c d "Européennes : Frédéric Nihous et Philippe de Villiers feront campagne commune", La Tribune, March 4 2009, English translation here
- ^ YouTube clip of Libertas launch in Netherlands
- ^ a b Libertas website
- ^ Libertas Party Convention, Rome
- ^ a b c d "Libertas's Ganley concedes defeat in Irish contest"
- ^ a b "Libertas leader threw toys out of election pram" from http://www.independent.ie/
- ^ a b "Libertas hires top US election campaigner", Irish Times, Tuesday, March 3, 2009
- ^ a b "Howard's man in Europe challenge", The Australian, Sunday March 23 2009
- ^ "Libertas w Warszawie" Nasz Dziennik, February 3 2009
- ^ "Irish anti-EU party make Austrian bid", Wiener Zeitung, 20 February 2009
- ^ "Czech Libertas recruit has conviction for evading duty" Irish Times, Thursday, January 22, 2009
- ^ a b "Slováci si možná budou vybírat europoslance ze strany Libertas" 23 February 2009, iDNES.cz, English translation here
- ^ a b "Libertas Eesti Erakond kinnitas Europarlamendi valimisnimekirja", undated page on http://www.libertas.eu/
- ^ a b c "Villiers et Nihous pour un «protectionnisme européen»", Le Figaro, 9 March 2009
- ^ "Hjälp Libertas bli ett registrerat parti" Thursday, 26 February 2009 from the Libertas website
- ^ "Party agitating against Lisbon Treaty seeks candidates for European Parliament elections in Lithuania", 4 March 2009, from www.euro.lt
- ^ "Irlandzki milioner tworzy w Polsce antyeuropejski ruch", 7 January 2009, from www.tvp.info, English translation here
- ^ "Nytt nejparti ställer upp i EU-valet", 3 March 2009, from dn.se, English translation here
- ^ "Nowa partia nie będzie mieć polskiego prezesa", ONET.pl, 20 March 2009, English translation here
- ^ a b c "Flags and slogans mark Libertas congress in Rome", HONOR MAHONY, 1 May 2009, http://euobserver.com/
- ^ "Libertas.eu policies" from http://www.libertas.eu/
- ^ "Libertas.eu: Policies" from http://libertas.eu/
- ^ "MPs who voted against Czech government join Libertas list for European Parliament elections", Wednesday, 01 April 2009 21:00, libertas.eu
- ^ "Volby.cz Evropský parlament 2009 > Jmenné seznamy a přehledy > Kandidáti dle politické příslušnosti > Strana Libertas" from http://volby.cz/
- ^ "Wahlbewerber AUF" from http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de
- ^ "AUF-Partei und Libertas schließen Bündnis für EU-Wahlen im Juni" 12 May 2009, from http://www.auf-partei.de/
- ^ "Germany: AUF party and Libertas form alliance for the EU elections", from http://www.libertas.eu
- ^ "ΣΤΙΣ ΕΥΡΩΕΚΛΟΓΕΣ ΤΗΣ 7 ΙΟΥΝΗ 2009", from Liberal Party
- ^ a b c "Bijušais ‘tēvzemietis’ Krasts kritizē varas partijas", 28 March 2009 14:24, from delfi.lv, English translation here
- ^ a b c "Libertas allies with fringe right wing in Poland" from http://www.polskieradio.pl
- ^ a b c "Komitet Wyborczy Libertas"
- ^ "Lubelszczyzna - desant o. Rydzyka", Gazeta Wyborcza, 26 March 2009, English translation here
- ^ "Borysiuk otworzy listę Libertas na Lubelszczyźnie?", 2009-03-28, http://www.radio.lublin.pl/
- ^ "Pierwszy kongres polskiej Partii Regionów", undated (18 April 2009?), http://wiadomosci.wp.pl/
- ^ "Do PE startują Libertas, LPR, UPR, Prawica i PDP", 29 March 2009, newsweek.pl, English translation here
- ^ a b "LIBERTAS - największe oszustwo wyborcze w wyborach do Parlamentu Europejskiego 2009 r."
- ^ a b "Wojciech Wierzejski komentuje rejestrację list: Hasłem naszym Wolność będzie i Ojczyzna nasza!"
- ^ "Libertas list candidates in constituency number 4"
- ^ "Libertas list candidates in constituency number 8"
- ^ "Libertas announces alliance in Slovakia", from http://www.libertas.eu/
- ^ "Miguel Durán, cabeza de lista de la coalición Ciudadanos-Libertas", 15 April 2009, http://www.libertaddigital.com, English translation here
- ^ a b "La elección de Miguel Durán como candidato desata una nueva crisis en C´s", 20/04/2009 22:10, http://www.elconfidencial.com, English translation here
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Libertas.eu :: Candidates"
- ^ Results:Czechia
- ^ Results:Estonia
- ^ Results:France
- ^ Home: Europawahlen: 2009: Wahlbewerber: Parteibewerber nach Listenplatz: Wahlbewerber AUF, from http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/ Der Bundeswahlleiter/Federal Election Directorate] of the Federal Republic of Germany
- ^ Results:Germany
- ^ Results:Greece
- ^ Results:Ireland
- ^ Results:Latvia
- ^ Results:Malta
- ^ Results:Netherlands
- ^ Results:Poland
- ^ Results:Portugal
- ^ Results:Slovakia
- ^ Results:Spain
- ^ Results:United Kingdom
- ^ "Self Serving US Military Agenda of Messrs Ganley and McEvaddy" FineGael.ie Press Release, 25 Apr 2008
- ^ "Man who says no" Irish Independent, Saturday 7 June 2008
- ^ "Opening of September II plenary session: Minute of silence for victim of ETA bombing / Funding of the No campaign in Ireland", European Parliament press release, 22 September 2008
- ^ "MEPs seeking source of Libertas funding", Jamie Smyth, Irish Times, 23 September 2008
- ^ "Ireland Takes the EU Spotlight" Washington Post, 12 June 2008
- ^ "On the mysterious trail of 'Mr No'", Irish Times, May 31, 2008
[edit] External links
| Libertas | | | Movement | | | | | | | Libertas.eu | | | | | | | | | | | Timeline | | | | See also | | | | | People | | Staff | | | | | | | | Members of member parties1 | | | | Members of affiliated parties2 | | | | Individual members | | | | Disavowed people | | | | | Parties | | Member parties1 | | | | Affiliated parties2 | | | | Disavowed parties | | | | | Elections | | | | Key | | 1 | Member parties are members of Libertas.eu. Members of member parties are automatically members of Libertas.eu unless they choose otherwise. | | | 2 | Affiliated parties are not members of Libertas.eu but are otherwise associated. Members of affiliated parties are not members of Libertas.eu unless they choose to join as individuals. | | | 3 | Parties presenting as Libertas.eu affiliates/members but not sanctioned by Libertas.eu when presentation commenced. | | | | European Union Portal • Politics Portal | | |
