Centrist Democrat International
Encyclopedia
The Centrist Democrat International was until 2001 the Christian Democrat International (CDI) and before that the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International (until 1999) (this earlier name is, since October 2000, still sometime used colloquially). This political international
was created in 1961 in Santiago, Chile
as the Christian Democrat World Union, building on the legacy of other Christian Democrat internationals who tried to create a Christian-inspired third way
alternative to the socialist internationals; in 1982 it was renamed for the first time Christian Democrat International. The name officially changed due to the participation of groups of various faiths. It is the global international political group dedicated to the promotion of Christian democracy
. There are slightly more than 100 member parties, drawn principally from Europe and Latin America. Some of the CDI member national parties are also members of the International Democrat Union
, although the CDI is closer to the political centre and more communitarian
than the IDU.
The CDI's European wing, the European People's Party
, is the largest political party at the European level
. Its Latin American equivalent is the Christian Democrat Organization of America
. The Democratic Party of the United States of America maintains link with CDI through the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
. A youth organisation of the CDI is currently being established under the name of Youth of the Centrist Democrat International
(YCDI).
The current Co-Presidents of the CDI are Pier Ferdinando Casini
of Italy
and Vicente Fox
of Mexico
, while its Executive Secretary is Antonio López-Istúriz
, who is also Secretary-General of the EPP
Political international
A political international is a trans-national organisation of political parties or activists. The international works together on points of agreement to co-ordinate activity....
was created in 1961 in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
as the Christian Democrat World Union, building on the legacy of other Christian Democrat internationals who tried to create a Christian-inspired third way
Third way (centrism)
The Third Way refers to various political positions which try to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of right-wing economic and left-wing social policies. Third Way approaches are commonly viewed from within the first- and second-way perspectives as...
alternative to the socialist internationals; in 1982 it was renamed for the first time Christian Democrat International. The name officially changed due to the participation of groups of various faiths. It is the global international political group dedicated to the promotion of Christian democracy
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
. There are slightly more than 100 member parties, drawn principally from Europe and Latin America. Some of the CDI member national parties are also members of the International Democrat Union
International Democrat Union
The International Democrat Union, abbreviated to IDU, is a centre-right international alliance of conservative and liberal-conservative political parties. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the IDU comprises 45 full or associate members...
, although the CDI is closer to the political centre and more communitarian
Communitarianism
Communitarianism is an ideology that emphasizes the connection between the individual and the community. That community may be the family unit, but it can also be understood in a far wider sense of personal interaction, of geographical location, or of shared history.-Terminology:Though the term...
than the IDU.
The CDI's European wing, the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
, is the largest political party at the European level
European political party
A European political party, formally a political party at European level, informally a Europarty, is a type of political party organization operating transnationally in Europe and in the institutions of the European Union. They are regulated and funded by the European Union and are usually made up...
. Its Latin American equivalent is the Christian Democrat Organization of America
Christian Democrat Organization of America
The Christian Democrat Organization of America is an international organization made up of political parties, groups and associations that share Christian humanist principles...
. The Democratic Party of the United States of America maintains link with CDI through the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs is an organization created by the United States government by way of the National Endowment for Democracy to channel grants for furthering democracy in developing nations. It was founded in 1983, shortly after the U.S. Congress created...
. A youth organisation of the CDI is currently being established under the name of Youth of the Centrist Democrat International
Youth of the Centrist Democrat International
The Youth of the Centrist Democrat International is the youth association of the Centrist Democrat International . The association gathers the youth of the parties who are part of the Centrist Democrat International....
(YCDI).
The current Co-Presidents of the CDI are Pier Ferdinando Casini
Pier Ferdinando Casini
Pier Ferdinando Casini is an Italian politician.-Biography:President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 2001 to 2006...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox Quesada is a Mexican former politician who served as President of Mexico from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2006 and currently serves as co-President of the Centrist Democrat International, an international organization of Christian democratic political parties.Fox was elected...
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, while its Executive Secretary is Antonio López-Istúriz
Antonio López-Istúriz White
Antonio López-Istúriz White is a Spanish politician andMember of the European Parliament with the People's Party, Secretary-General of the European People's Party as well as member of the executive committe of the Spanish People's Party, Executive Secretary of the Christian Democrat International...
, who is also Secretary-General of the EPP
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
Member parties
| Country | Party | Continent |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party of Albania Democratic Party of Albania The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections... |
Europe | |
| Andorran Democratic Center | Europe | |
| National Union for the Total Independence of Angola | Africa | |
| Christian Democratic Party Christian Democratic Party (Argentina) The Christian Democratic Party is a Christian Democrat political party in Argentina.The Party was founded in 1954 after several other organisations had been active promoting Christian democracy in Argentina. Leading activists in its early years included José Allende and Horacio Sueldo... |
America | |
| Rule of Law Party Rule of Law (Armenia) Rule of Law is a centrist political party in Armenia, led by Artur Baghdasarian. It is the fourth largest party in the Armenian National Assembly... |
Europe | |
| Aruban People's Party Aruban People's Party The Aruban People's Party is a Christian democrat political party in Aruba. AVP is an acronym for the Dutch name of the party.... |
America | |
| Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish The Christian Democratic and Flemish is a political party of Belgium, formerly called Christian People's Party... |
Europe | |
| Christian Democratic Party Christian Democratic Party (Bolivia) The Christian Democratic Party is a progressive Christian-democratic political party in Bolivia.... |
America | |
| Democrats Democrats (Brazil) The Democrats is a centre-right political party in Brazil, considered the main in the right-wing spectrum. Despite its former name , the party affiliates itself to the Centrist Democrat International, and the International Democrat Union. The name comes from its support to free market policies... |
America | |
| Brazilian Social Democracy Party Brazilian Social Democracy Party The Brazilian Social Democracy Party is a centrist political party in Brazil. Originally a centre-left party at the time of its foundation, PSDB moved to the centre after Fernando Henrique Cardoso forged an alliance with the right-wing Liberal... |
America | |
| Union of Democratic Forces Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria) The Union of Democratic Forces is a political party in Bulgaria, founded in 1989 as a union of several political organizations in opposition to the communist government. In February 1997 the Union was transformed into a single unified party with the same name... |
Europe | |
| Union for the Republic Union for the Republic (Burkina Faso) The Union for the Republic is a registered political party in Burkina Faso .At the legislative elections, 6 May 2007, the party won 5 out of 111 seats.... |
Africa | |
| Funcinpec Funcinpec FUNCINPEC is a royalist political party in Cambodia. Before the 2008 election, FUNCINPEC and the Cambodian People's Party formed a coalition government, although FUNCINPEC's significance has decreased steadily since 1998, when it had an equal relationship with the CPP in the coalition.FUNCINPEC is... |
Asia | |
| Movement for Democracy Movement for Democracy (Cape Verde) The Movimento para a Democracia is a ideological liberal party in Cape Verde. It was in power between 1991 and 2001. MPD was created on March 14, 1990, and their first convention was held in November 1990. They won the first elections after the end of the one-party system in Cape Verde, with more... |
Africa | |
| Christian Democratic Party of Chile | America | |
| Colombian Conservative Party Colombian Conservative Party The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia... |
America | |
| Movement for the Liberation of the Congo | Africa | |
| Rally of the Republicans Rally of the Republicans The Rally of the Republicans is a liberal party in Côte d'Ivoire. It is presently the country's governing party; the party's leader, Alassane Ouattara, is the current President of Côte d'Ivoire.... |
Africa | |
| Croatian Democratic Union Croatian Democratic Union The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003... |
Europe | |
| Christian Movement "Liberation" | America | |
| Christian Democratic Party of Cuba Christian Democratic Party of Cuba The Christian Democratic Party of Cuba is a Christian Democratic political party in Cuba. Although changes to the Cuban constitution in 1992 decriminalized the act of forming political parties other than the Communist Party of Cuba, these parties are not permitted to campaign or engage in any... |
America | |
| National People's Party National People's Party (Curaçao) The National People's Party is a christian democratic political party in Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles.... |
America | |
| Democratic Rally Democratic Rally The Democratic Rally , is a centre-right political party in Cyprus, led by Nicos Anastasiades.The party was founded on 4 July 1976 by veteran politician Glafkos Klerides. Clerides served as Cyprus president from 1993 until 2003.... |
Europe | |
| Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | Europe | |
| Christian Democrats Christian Democrats (Denmark) The Christian Democrats are a political party in Denmark. The party was founded in 1970 to oppose the liberalization of restrictions on pornography and the legalization of abortion.... |
Europe | |
| Social Christian Reformist Party Social Christian Reformist Party The Social Christian Reformist Party is a conservative, christian democratic, economic liberal and a populist party in the Dominican Republic formed by the union of the Partido Reformista and the Partido Revolucionario Social Cristiano... |
America | |
| People's Democracy-Christian Democratic Union People's Democracy-Christian Democratic Union The Christian Democratic Union is a political party in Ecuador of the Christian Right.At the legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won 4 out of 100 seats. At the last elections, held in October 2006, it won 2 seats in the Congress. It had no presidential candidate... |
America | |
| Christian Democratic Party Christian Democratic Party (El Salvador) The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in El Salvador.In the legislative elections, held on 16 March 2003, the party won 7.3% of the popular vote and 5 out of 84 seats in the Legislative Assembly. In the presidential election of 21 March 2004, the PDC supported Héctor Silva Argüello... |
America | |
| Union for a Popular Movement Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
Europe | |
| Christian Democratic Union Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
Europe | |
| New Democracy New Democracy (Greece) New Democracy is the main centre-right political party and one of the two major parties in Greece. It was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic... |
Europe | |
| Popular Union Party | Africa | |
| Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea | Africa | |
| Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union The Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union is a major conservative party in Hungary. At the 2010 election in Hungary, Fidesz-KDNP won a two-thirds majority of seats by gaining 52% of the votes, with Fidesz winning 227 seats and KDNP winning 36... |
Europe | |
| Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
Europe | |
| Union of Christian and Centre Democrats | Europe | |
| UDEUR Populars for the South UDEUR Populars for the South UDEUR Populars for the South is a small centrist and Christian-democratic political party in Italy. Led by Clemente Mastella, the party has been at times very strong in Southern Italy, but almost irrelevant in Northern Italy... |
Europe | |
| Lebanese Christian Democratic Union | Asia | |
| Phalange | Asia | |
| Nationalist Party Nationalist Party (Malta) The Nationalist Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Labour Party. It was founded by Fortunato Mizzi in 1880 as the Anti-Reform Party, opposing taxation decreed by the British colonial authorities and measures to Anglicise the educational and the... |
Europe | |
| Union for Democracy and Progress Union for Democracy and Progress The Union for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Mauritania. It was founded on June 11, 1993 by Hamdi Ould Mouknass, who previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Moktar Ould Daddah.... |
Africa | |
| Union for the Republic | Africa | |
| National Action Party National Action Party (Mexico) The National Action Party , is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The party's political platform is generally considered Centre-Right in the Mexican political spectrum. Since 2000, the President of Mexico has been a member of this party; both houses have PAN pluralities, but the... |
America | |
| Christian Democratic People's Party Christian Democratic People's Party Several countries have political parties that use the name "Christian Democratic People's Party."*Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland*Christian Democratic People's Party of Hungary*Christian Democratic People's Party of Romania... |
Europe | |
| Istiqlal Party Istiqlal Party The Istiqlal or Independence Party is a political party in Morocco... |
Africa | |
| Democratic Movement of Mozambique Democratic Movement of Mozambique The Democratic Movement of Mozambique is a political party in Mozambique. Founded on March 6, 2009, it is led by Daviz Simango, who is the mayor of Beira... |
Africa | |
| Christian Democratic Appeal Christian Democratic Appeal The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place... |
Europe | |
| Christian Democratic Party | Europe | |
| Christian Democratic Party Partido Demócrata Cristiano Partido Demócrata Cristiano may refer to:* Partido Demócrata Cristiano , a political party in Argentina* Partido Demócrata Cristiano , a political party in Bolivia* Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Chile, a political party in Chile... |
America | |
| Christian People's Party Christian People's Party (Peru) The Christian People's Party is a center-right and conservative political party based on Christian Democracy. It was founded in 1966 by a group of Peruvian Christian Democracy dissidents, led by Luis Bedoya Reyes.... |
America | |
| Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Christian Muslim Democrats Lakas-Kampi-CMD Lakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy... |
Asia | |
| Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Portugal) The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party... |
Europe | |
| Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romania) The Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party is a Romanian Christian-Democratic party... |
Europe | |
| Hungarian Romanian People's Party | Europe | |
| Democratic Liberal Party Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) The Democratic Liberal Party is a populist, centre-right party in Romania. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance... |
Europe | |
| Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party | Europe | |
| Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party | Europe | |
| New Slovenia New Slovenia The New Slovenia – Christian People's Party or simply New Slovenia, NSi is a Christian democratic political party in Slovenia... |
Europe | |
| Slovenian Democratic Party Slovenian Democratic Party The Slovenian Democratic Party , known until 2003 as the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-right liberal conservative and Christian democratic party... |
Europe | |
| People's Party People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... |
Europe | |
| Democratic Union of Catalonia Democratic Union of Catalonia The Democratic Union of Catalonia is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. Together with the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, it is part of the Convergence and Union coalition.It describes itself as Catalan nationalist and Christian Democrat.... |
Europe | |
| Christian Democrats Christian Democrats (Sweden) The Christian Democrats ) is a political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1964 but did not enter parliament until 1985 in an electoral cooperation with the Centre Party and on the Christian Democrats' own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004 is Göran Hägglund. He succeeded Alf... |
Europe | |
| Christian Democratic Union Christian Democratic Union (Ukraine) The Christian Democratic Union is a political party in Ukraine. On December 2, 2002, in Athens, Greece the party became a member of Centrist Democrat International. It is negotiated now its associated membership in the European People's Party... |
Europe | |
| COPEI COPEI Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente... |
America |
Observer parties
- - Belarusian Christian DemocracyBelarusian Christian DemocracyThe Belarusian Christian Democracy is a political movement in Belarus that was created at the beginning of the 20th century and is now being revived by several politicians.- Before World War II :...
(Беларуская хрысьціянская дэмакратыя, BChD) - - Brazilian Social Democracy PartyBrazilian Social Democracy PartyThe Brazilian Social Democracy Party is a centrist political party in Brazil. Originally a centre-left party at the time of its foundation, PSDB moved to the centre after Fernando Henrique Cardoso forged an alliance with the right-wing Liberal...
(Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira) - -
- Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union–People's Union (Balgarski Zemedelski Naroden Sajuz–Naroden Sajuz, BANU-PU)
- Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (Bulgaria)The Democratic Party is a center-right party in Bulgaria led by Alexander Pramatarski. It is part of the United Democratic Forces. The United Democratic Forces won in the 2001 elections 18.2 % of the popular vote and 51 out of 240 seats...
(Демократическа партия, DP-BG)
- - National Party of HondurasNational Party of HondurasThe National Party is a centre-right conservative political party in Honduras and the main right-wing political party in the country. Founded in 1902 the PNH is identified with the color blue as its rival the Liberal Party of Honduras , is red. All the democratic elections in Honduras have been...
(Partido Nacional de Honduras, PN) - - Fanorenana
- - Mozambican National ResistanceMozambican National ResistanceThe Mozambican National Resistance is a conservative political party in Mozambique led by Afonso Dhlakama. It fought against the FRELIMO in the Mozambican Civil War and against the ZANU movement led by Robert Mugabe from 1975 to 1992....
(Resistência Nacional Moçambicana, RENAMO) - - Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség, RMDSz)
- - Christian Democratic Party of SerbiaChristian Democratic Party of SerbiaThe Christian Democratic Party of Serbia is a Christian democratic political party in Serbia. At the final legislative elections in Serbia and Montenegro, held December 28, 2003, the party won no seats...
(Демохришћанска Странка Србије, DHSS) - -
- Party of the Hungarian CoalitionParty of the Hungarian CoalitionThe Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
(Strana maďarskej koalície, SMK-MKP) - Christian Democratic MovementChristian Democratic MovementThe Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
(Kresťanskodemokratické hnutie-BG, KDH)
- Party of the Hungarian Coalition
See also
- International Democrat UnionInternational Democrat UnionThe International Democrat Union, abbreviated to IDU, is a centre-right international alliance of conservative and liberal-conservative political parties. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the IDU comprises 45 full or associate members...
- Liberal InternationalLiberal InternationalLiberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
, an equivalent liberal organisation