The invitation from Italia dei Valori to host the European Liberal Democrats (ELDR) Congress in Palermo, Sicily, this week was made long before anyone had any inkling that participants would be able to celebrate Italy's liberation from Silvio Berlusconi at the same time, but this certainly added to the gaiety of the event. Palermo's former Mayor, Leoluca Orlando -- who is being lobbied hard to stand again now the political climate in Italy has changed -- had every reason to be pleased, as around 300 MPs, MEPs and other politicians from all over Europe -- including Ukraine and Armenia -- gathered together under glorious autumn sunshine at the Villa Igiea overlooking the city's marina.
Yet in other ways, there was every reason to be sombre. The eurozone crisis continues, though as was pointed out this is not really a crisis with the euro itself, which is riding high against the US dollar, sterling and other leading currencies. Rather, the problem lies with the sovereign debt of some member states, notably Greece, Portugal and of course Italy itself. The message being broadcast from Brussels and Berlin (importantly) is "Don't panic!" and certainly European Liberal Democrat politicians from across the EU were reinforcing that message at the ELDR Congress. They noted with pleasure that a new Democratic Party in Greece, set up by former Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and some colleagues, had backed the EU rescue plan for Greece and joined ELDR.
That new adherent was applauded particularly loudly as otherwise the ELDR, the third largest grouping in the European political firmament, has been losing members recently, as some parties have collapsed or disappeared, and others have declined in influence. As outgoing ELDR President Annemie Nuyts, a former Belgian junior Foreign Minister, noted with regret, five years ago 10 EU Prime Ministers belonged to the ELDR family, whereas now there are only two (leading Estonia and the Netherlands).
Nonetheless, a number of speakers at the Congress were upbeat, pointing out that it is the Socialists who appear to be in terminal decline in Europe -- despite heading the new coalition government in Denmark. The future will be a contest between Liberal and Christian Democrats and their allies, they argued -- though one must keep a close eye on the populist far right.
The former Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt -- who leads the Liberal (ALDE) group of MEPs in the European Parliament -- gave a barnstorming speech at Palermo, urging Liberals not only not to lose heart but to campaign with extra vigour. That message was reprised by the incoming President of ELDR, Sir Graham Watson, the South West England Liberal Democrat MEP, who preceeded Guy Verhofstadt as ALDE leader.
Graham Watson set serious challenges for the ELDR, which was the first trans-national political grouping in Europe to establish itself as a political party, to which individuals can join as associate members, as well as national or regional political parties. When he was at the head of ALDE, he did indeed sign up a number of new parties and individual MEPs and it will be interesting to see if he can repeat the success with ELDR, to which parties from none-EU European states can also join.
Perhaps we will be able to make a judgement about this next November, when the ELDR reconvenes for its 2012 Congress in Dublin, at the invitation of Fianna Fail, perhaps the most controversial new recruit to the European Liberal family.