Liberal Alternative
Encyclopedia
The Liberal Alternative is a French
political party created on March 1, 2006. They advocate classical liberalism against socialism or conservatism. Therefore their political colour is purple, between the red of the left wing and the blue of the right wing.
They advocate stronger powers given to the Parliament
and a separation from the Prime Minister
; favouring a presidential/congress
ional system as opposed to a strict parliamentary system. They emphasize a more political, rather than economic, role in the European Union
(EU) to promote civil liberties
and liberalism
as the basis of the EU Constitution. In general, the party seems rather libertarian
, as evidenced by the following excerpt from a commentary in the Wall Street Journal:
Some members of Liberté chérie, a classical liberal association, took part in the creation of the Liberal Alternative, including Édouard Fillias
, founder of Liberté Chérie, Aurélien Veron, former president and Sabine Herold
, cofounder.
, the founder and leader of AL, failed to obtain the necessary endorsements from at least 500 French elected officials. Liberal Alternative, with no candidate of its own, endorsed the centrist Union for French Democracy
(UDF) candidate François Bayrou
.
Liberal Alternative also fielded nearly 50 candidates for the French legislative elections, 2007, they obtained between 0.09% and 1.49%.
Despite a recent split, AL ran five lists in the 2009 European Parliament election
: in the Île-de-France, West, East, South East and South-West constituencies. Overall, the party won 0.10% in Île-de-France, 0.26% in the East, 0.13% in the South-West, 0.02% in the South-East, and 0.18% in the West.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
political party created on March 1, 2006. They advocate classical liberalism against socialism or conservatism. Therefore their political colour is purple, between the red of the left wing and the blue of the right wing.
They advocate stronger powers given to the Parliament
Parliament of France
The French Parliament is the bicameral legislature of the French Republic, consisting of the Senate and the National Assembly . Each assembly conducts legislative sessions at a separate location in Paris: the Palais du Luxembourg for the Senate, the Palais Bourbon for the National Assembly.Each...
and a separation from the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
; favouring a presidential/congress
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different nations, constituent states, independent organizations , or groups....
ional system as opposed to a strict parliamentary system. They emphasize a more political, rather than economic, role in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) to promote civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
and liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
as the basis of the EU Constitution. In general, the party seems rather libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
, as evidenced by the following excerpt from a commentary in the Wall Street Journal:
- "We aim only to create a free society. Our project is to transform our state so that it serves French citizens, not vice versa. We believe in freedom of choice in any area of human life, whether it's the economy, social issues or values. In all respects, we want to give the French their freedom back: freedom to choose the school where they want their children to be taught, freedom to negotiate their working conditions, freedom to choose their health insurance, freedom of speech on any issue."
Some members of Liberté chérie, a classical liberal association, took part in the creation of the Liberal Alternative, including Édouard Fillias
Édouard Fillias
Édouard Fillias is a French classical-liberal activist of Spanish origin.Born in Paris, Île-de-France, France, Fillias was president of Liberal Alternative and that party's 2007 French Presidential candidate. On 13 March 2007 he withdrew and announced his support for François Bayrou...
, founder of Liberté Chérie, Aurélien Veron, former president and Sabine Herold
Sabine Hérold
Sabine Herold is a French classical liberal activist and main spokeswoman of Alternative libérale, a French liberal/libertarian party.-Biography:Herold was born in Reims, France. Her parents are both teachers...
, cofounder.
Popular support and electoral record
In the 2007 presidential election, Édouard FilliasÉdouard Fillias
Édouard Fillias is a French classical-liberal activist of Spanish origin.Born in Paris, Île-de-France, France, Fillias was president of Liberal Alternative and that party's 2007 French Presidential candidate. On 13 March 2007 he withdrew and announced his support for François Bayrou...
, the founder and leader of AL, failed to obtain the necessary endorsements from at least 500 French elected officials. Liberal Alternative, with no candidate of its own, endorsed the centrist Union for French Democracy
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
(UDF) candidate François Bayrou
François Bayrou
François Bayrou is a French centrist politician, president of Union for French Democracy since 1998 and was a candidate in the 2002 and 2007 French presidential elections. In the first round, he received 18.6% of the vote, finishing in 3rd place and therefore was eliminated from the race....
.
Liberal Alternative also fielded nearly 50 candidates for the French legislative elections, 2007, they obtained between 0.09% and 1.49%.
European Parliament
| Election year | Number of votes | % of overall vote | # of seats won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 European Parliament election, 2009 (France) European elections to elect 72 French Members of the European Parliament were held on Sunday 7 June 2009.Due to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union in 2007, the number of seats allocated to France was revised from 78 seats to 72 seats, a loss of 6 seats... |
16,944 | 0.10% | 0 |
Despite a recent split, AL ran five lists in the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (France)
European elections to elect 72 French Members of the European Parliament were held on Sunday 7 June 2009.Due to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union in 2007, the number of seats allocated to France was revised from 78 seats to 72 seats, a loss of 6 seats...
: in the Île-de-France, West, East, South East and South-West constituencies. Overall, the party won 0.10% in Île-de-France, 0.26% in the East, 0.13% in the South-West, 0.02% in the South-East, and 0.18% in the West.