Progressive Democrats
Encyclopedia
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market
liberal
political party
in the Republic of Ireland
.
Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley
and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil
and Fine Gael
, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on divorce
, contraception
, and other social issues. The party also supported economic liberalisation
, advocating measures such as lower tax
ation, fiscal conservatism
, privatisation
, and welfare
reform. It enjoyed an impressive début at the 1987 general election
, winning 14 seats in Dáil Éireann
and capturing almost 12 percent of the popular vote to temporarily surpass the Labour Party
as Ireland's third largest political party.
Although the Progressive Democrats never again won more than 10 seats in the Dáil, they formed coalition government
s with Fianna Fáil
during the 26th Dáil
(1989–92), the 28th Dáil
(1997–2002), the 29th Dáil
(2002–07) and the 30th Dail (2007–09). These successive years as the government's junior coalition partner gave the party an influence on Irish politics and economics
disproportionate to its small size. In particular, the party has often been credited with shaping the low-tax, pro-business environment that contributed to Ireland's Celtic Tiger
economic boom during the 1990s and 2000s.
However recently the party has been criticised for the its policies which some have argued contributed to the Irish financial and economic crisis
.
On 8 November 2008, the party began the process of disbanding, and was formally dissolved on 20 November 2009. The two Progressive Democrat politicians elected to the 30th Dáil, Mary Harney
and Noel Grealish, continued to support the government as independent TDs, and Mary Harney also continued as Minister for Health and Children.
The party was a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
(ELDR). Its youth wing was the Young Progressive Democrats
.
, a former senior minister in Fianna Fáil governments under Jack Lynch
and Charles Haughey
. O'Malley was a strong opponent of Haughey and was involved in a number of leadership heaves against Haughey, who was popular and controversial in equal measure. O'Malley had lost the Fianna Fáil whip in the Dáil in 1984 because of his support for the New Ireland Forum
report and was finally expelled from Fianna Fáil early in 1985 for "conduct unbecoming" a member when he refused to support Fianna Fáil's opposition to the introduction of contraception.
O'Malley joined with Fianna Fáil members Mary Harney, Bobby Molloy
and Pearse Wyse
, Fine Gael
TD Michael Keating
and former Fine Gael activist Michael McDowell
, to set up the new party. The breakaways were dissatisfied with the policies of existing parties, which they viewed as being insufficiently liberal, both economically and on social issues such as divorce and contraception. In Ireland in 1985, when personal income above £
7,300 per annum was taxed at 60 percent, the country's national debt
was 104 percent of GDP, unemployment was 17.3 percent, and the Catholic Church largely dictated the mainstream parties' socially conservative
positions on moral issues, the Progressive Democrats' liberal reformist agenda was considered especially radical.
In the 1987 general election the new party won 14 seats and 11.9% of the vote, becoming the third largest party in the Dáil
. The Progressive Democrats formed the second largest opposition party under difficult circumstances. The minority Fianna Fáil government introduced some of the economic reforms that the Progressive Democrats had recommended, Fianna Fáil was however largely supported by Fine Gael where the economy was concerned and so the Progressive Democrats had difficulty in being effective in opposition.
In the 1989 election, the party dropped to six seats, but formed a coalition government with Fianna Fáil, with Charles Haughey as Taoiseach
, which was the first time Fianna Fáil entered coalition. Haughey was replaced in February 1992 by Albert Reynolds
. Progressive Democrats Leader Desmond O'Malley
served as Minister for Industry and Commerce.
After the collapse of Reynolds' first administration later in 1992, O'Malley retired from the leadership of the party. Following the 1992 general election, John Dardis
(Agricultural Panel) and Cathy Honan
(Industrial and Commercial Panel) were elected to Seanad Éireann
as part of a election pact with their politically polar opposites Democratic Left
. Mary Harney became the new leader after a bitter election contest with Pat Cox
, who later left the party. Harney was the first woman to lead any of the major Irish political parties. Harney served as Tánaiste
(deputy prime minister) from May 1997 until September 2006 after a return to government with Fianna Fáil.
In the 2002 general election
, the party defied expectations by doubling its Dáil seats to eight, although its share of the vote declined slightly to 4%. In total the Progressive Democrats participated in coalition governments four times, on each occasion with Fianna Fáil (1989–1992; 1997–2002; 2002–2007; 2007–2009), and also with the Green Party
from 2007–2009.
On 7 September 2006 Mary Harney announced that she was stepping down as leader of the Progressive Democrats. She expressed a wish to stay on as Minister for Health. On 10 September, Michael McDowell was elected unopposed as Party Leader, having been nominated by Tom Parlon
and that nomination being seconded by Liz O'Donnell
. Liz O'Donnell became Deputy Leader and Tom Parlon became Party President.
The 2007 general election, was a disastrous one for the party. The Progressive Democrats lost six of its eight seats in the 166 seat Dáil. Among those to lose their seats were party leader Michael McDowell, deputy leader Liz O'Donnell and party president Tom Parlon. McDowell resigned from public life after he lost his seat, and Mary Harney was asked by the party chairman to resume the role of party leader. Tom Parlon announced on 10 July 2007, that he was leaving public life and would not seek a nomination to Seanad Éireann
, or to contest the leadership of the Progressive Democrats. Instead he will take up the position of Director General of the Irish Construction Industry Federation.
A committee headed by former Senator John Dardis
recommended in September 2007 that the role of leader be taken on by a senator or councillor (although the party rules then required that the position must be held by a TD). A meeting of the party's General council on 16 February 2008 changed the rules to allow any senator, councillor or any party member with the support of 20 other members to stand for the party's leadership and on 17 April, Senator Ciarán Cannon
was elected leader, defeating fellow Senator Fiona O'Malley
.
The party's two remaining TD
s, Mary Harney
and Noel Grealish, entered into coalition government with Fianna Fáil
and the Green Party
in the 30th Dáil
. The party never recovered from this electoral collapse. On 8 November 2008, with all parliamentary members and founder Desmond O'Malley united in the opinion that the party was no longer politically viable, delegates to a special conference in Mullingar
voted by 201 votes to 161 to bring the Progressive Democrats to an end. In January 2009, the party was still operating and in receipt of state funding
, including a Party Leader's Allowance paid to Minister Mary Harney
, but had ceased to receive funding by the following June.
The archives of the Progressive Democrats party were presented to UCD
on 10 June 2009. At least 20 former Progressive Democrats councillors won seats on county, city and town councils
at the 2009 Local elections
. Some were elected as Fine Gael
candidates, some as Fianna Fáil
and others as independents.
At the 2011 general election 11 former Progressive Democrats members stood as candidates for the Dáil in a country-wide spread of constituencies. Subsequently, three former PD members were elected. Mary Mitchell O'Connor
(PD Councillor 2004–08) was elected in Dún Laoghaire
for Fine Gael
, Ciarán Cannon
(PD Senator 2007–09 / Party leader 2008–09) was elected in Galway East for the same party, while Noel Grealish (PD TD 2002–09 / Caretaker leader 2009) was re-elected as an independent TD for Galway West. Several ex-PD members stood for election to Seanad Eireann in 2011. The only successful candidature was that of Cllr Cait Keane(FG), who had served on South Dublin County Council for the PDs between 1991-2008, and had stood for election in the Dublin South Central Constituency for the PDs in 1992, 1994, and 1997.
. They supported a free private enterprise and low-tax policy base. They generally favoured privatisation; for example, they supported the privatisation of the previously state-owned airline Aer Lingus
and communications company Telecom Éireann
. They were also part of the break-up of airports company Aer Rianta and unsuccessfully lobbied for a private, competing second terminal in Dublin Airport. The acting PD leader and Minister for Health
has also been involved in the controversial extension of private sector influence in health care. She pursued a policy of co-location of private hospitals on public hospital grounds and is seen as sympathetic to the privatisation of health insurance
. However they opposed their coalition partner’s plans to privatise airports company Aer Rianta, on the grounds that a private monopoly would be worse than a public monopoly .
The party was a strong supporter of low taxation. As the Economic and Social Research Institute
(ESRI) stated in 2002: "On balance, budgets over the past 10 to 20 years have been more favourable to high income groups than low income groups, but particularly so during periods of high growth". While the party was in government since 1997, the lower rate of income tax
fell from 26% to 20% and the upper rate from 48% to 41%.
They supported low corporation tax because they believe it encouraged business growth and for private enterprise to be rewarded. The party often claimed these policies were in part responsible for the "Celtic Tiger
" economy. Dermot McAleese, emeritus
professor of economics at Trinity College, Dublin
, says that the emergence of the Progressive Democrats in 1985 may have had a more positive influence on the economy than some recognise. He argues the Irish low-tax, pro-business economy is based in large part on Progressive Democrat policies. "They proved that there was a constituency for this, and they gave the intellectual power to it." (The Irish Times, 31 December 2004).
The party is often described as right-wing
. Party leaders rejected the idea that they are ruled by ideology alone. Former party leader Michael McDowell has said that he sees liberalism
as not being on the left-right spectrum as it is a mix of the ideals of both. Mary Harney, on becoming health minister said "I don't get my politics from any ideology, I get it from my experience and common sense". Yet Harney was a controversial minister who has attempted to extend private influence in the health service and McDowell's campaign in the general election was particularly notable for the strong attacks he made on Irish left-wing
parties.
Despite espousing liberal social policies and having in its ranks the openly gay
Colm O'Gorman
, the Progressive Democrats did not support same-sex marriage
. Instead, they claimed to propose legislating for civil union
, however attempts by the Labour Party
to legislate for civil unions in the previous Dáil were forestalled by PD Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, due to his insistence that non-sex relationships be recognised too. The Progressive Democrats again voted down the same bill in the current Dáil.
Both Progressive Democrats and other commentators have suggested that the party had a greater influence on government policy since 1997 than might be expected from its size. This belief appears to have some basis – as of September 2004 the party controlled two of the most important cabinet positions (Justice and Health
), despite having less than one-tenth of the seats of its coalition partner Fianna Fáil.
In a 2000 speech to the American Bar Association
, the then party leader, Mary Harney, appeared to express a desire that Ireland become "closer to Boston than Berlin", adopting US free-market models for economic development, health, education, and other services rather than European Continental models because she believed that the continental countries (such as Germany
and France
), while having more equality had bad economies and high unemployment.
However in the midst of the ongoing Irish financial crisis
, many have begun to question the legacy of the Progressive Democrats. In a review of the Department of Finance
Robert Wright, a Canadian economist, singled out the policies of the PD's and Fianna Fáil
's 2002 election manifestos as contributing significantly to the 2008 property market crash.
In December 1994, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left entered into government without a general election being called.
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
liberal
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,...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and 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...
, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, contraception
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
, and other social issues. The party also supported economic liberalisation
Economic liberalization
Economic liberalization is a very broad term that usually refers to fewer government regulations and restrictions in the economy in exchange for greater participation of private entities; the doctrine is associated with classical liberalism...
, advocating measures such as lower tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
ation, fiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
, privatisation
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
, and welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
reform. It enjoyed an impressive début at the 1987 general election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
, winning 14 seats in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
and capturing almost 12 percent of the popular vote to temporarily surpass the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
as Ireland's third largest political party.
Although the Progressive Democrats never again won more than 10 seats in the Dáil, they formed coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
s with Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
during the 26th Dáil
Members of the 26th Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 26th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1989 general election on 15 June 1989 and met on 29 June 1989. The 26th Dáil was dissolved by President Patrick Hillery, at the request of the...
(1989–92), the 28th Dáil
Members of the 28th Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 28th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1997 general election on 6 June 1997 and met on 26 June 1997. The 28th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the...
(1997–2002), the 29th Dáil
Members of the 29th Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 29th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 2002 general election on 17 May 2002 and met on 6 June 2002. The 29th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach...
(2002–07) and the 30th Dail (2007–09). These successive years as the government's junior coalition partner gave the party an influence on Irish politics and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
disproportionate to its small size. In particular, the party has often been credited with shaping the low-tax, pro-business environment that contributed to Ireland's Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger is a term used to describe the economy of Ireland during a period of rapid economic growth between 1995 and 2007. The expansion underwent a dramatic reversal from 2008, with GDP contracting by 14% and unemployment levels rising to 14% by 2010...
economic boom during the 1990s and 2000s.
However recently the party has been criticised for the its policies which some have argued contributed to the Irish financial and economic crisis
2008–2011 Irish financial crisis
The 2008–2011 Irish financial crisis, which had stemmed from the financial crisis of 2008, is a major political and economic crisis in Ireland that is partly responsible for the country falling into recession for the first time since the 1980s...
.
On 8 November 2008, the party began the process of disbanding, and was formally dissolved on 20 November 2009. The two Progressive Democrat politicians elected to the 30th Dáil, Mary Harney
Mary Harney
Mary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
and Noel Grealish, continued to support the government as independent TDs, and Mary Harney also continued as Minister for Health and Children.
The party was a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...
(ELDR). Its youth wing was the Young Progressive Democrats
Young Progressive Democrats
The Young Progressive Democrats were the youth wing of the Irish political party, the Progressive Democrats. Weakened after the party's poor showing in the 1997 elections, they were completely reformed on a national basis after the 2002 general election. A special conference of the Young...
.
History
The party was founded in 1985 by Desmond O'MalleyDesmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
, a former senior minister in Fianna Fáil governments under Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
and Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
. O'Malley was a strong opponent of Haughey and was involved in a number of leadership heaves against Haughey, who was popular and controversial in equal measure. O'Malley had lost the Fianna Fáil whip in the Dáil in 1984 because of his support for the New Ireland Forum
New Ireland Forum
The New Ireland Forum was a forum in 1983–84 at which Irish nationalist political parties discussed potential political developments that might alleviate the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Forum was established by Garret FitzGerald, then Taoiseach, under the influence of John Hume. The Forum was...
report and was finally expelled from Fianna Fáil early in 1985 for "conduct unbecoming" a member when he refused to support Fianna Fáil's opposition to the introduction of contraception.
O'Malley joined with Fianna Fáil members Mary Harney, Bobby Molloy
Bobby Molloy
Robert "Bobby" Molloy is an Irish former Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet poistions, most notably as Minister for Local Government, Minister for Defence and Minister for Energy....
and Pearse Wyse
Pearse Wyse
Pearse Wyse was an Irish Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats politician.Pearse Wyse was born in Cork in 1928. He first held political office in 1960 when he was elected to Cork City Council...
, 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...
TD Michael Keating
Michael Keating (Irish politician)
Michael Keating is a former Irish politician.-Early life:Michael Keating was born in Dublin in 1946. He was educated at the Christian Brothers O'Connell School, University College Dublin and St. Patrick's College in Maynooth where he received a Bachelor of Arts...
and former Fine Gael activist Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell is a Senior Counsel in the Bar Council of Ireland and a former politician. A grandson of Irish revolutionary Eoin MacNeill, McDowell was a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party in the mid-1980s...
, to set up the new party. The breakaways were dissatisfied with the policies of existing parties, which they viewed as being insufficiently liberal, both economically and on social issues such as divorce and contraception. In Ireland in 1985, when personal income above £
Irish pound
The Irish pound was the currency of Ireland until 2002. Its ISO 4217 code was IEP, and the usual notation was the prefix £...
7,300 per annum was taxed at 60 percent, the country's national debt
Government debt
Government debt is money owed by a central government. In the US, "government debt" may also refer to the debt of a municipal or local government...
was 104 percent of GDP, unemployment was 17.3 percent, and the Catholic Church largely dictated the mainstream parties' socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
positions on moral issues, the Progressive Democrats' liberal reformist agenda was considered especially radical.
In the 1987 general election the new party won 14 seats and 11.9% of the vote, becoming the third largest party in the Dáil
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
. The Progressive Democrats formed the second largest opposition party under difficult circumstances. The minority Fianna Fáil government introduced some of the economic reforms that the Progressive Democrats had recommended, Fianna Fáil was however largely supported by Fine Gael where the economy was concerned and so the Progressive Democrats had difficulty in being effective in opposition.
In the 1989 election, the party dropped to six seats, but formed a coalition government with Fianna Fáil, with Charles Haughey as Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
, which was the first time Fianna Fáil entered coalition. Haughey was replaced in February 1992 by Albert Reynolds
Albert Reynolds
Albert Reynolds , served as Taoiseach of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize...
. Progressive Democrats Leader Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
served as Minister for Industry and Commerce.
After the collapse of Reynolds' first administration later in 1992, O'Malley retired from the leadership of the party. Following the 1992 general election, John Dardis
John Dardis
John Dardis is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician who server as a senator from 1989 to 2007. He is a retired farmer and former agricultural journalist.- Early and personal life :...
(Agricultural Panel) and Cathy Honan
Cathy Honan
Catherine "Cathy" Honan is a former Progressive Democrats politician from County Laois in Ireland. She was a senator from 1993 to 1997....
(Industrial and Commercial Panel) were elected to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
as part of a election pact with their politically polar opposites Democratic Left
Democratic Left (Ireland)
Democratic Left was a democratic socialist political party active in Ireland between 1992 and 1999. It came into being after a split in the Workers' Party and, after just seven years in existence, it merged into the Irish Labour Party.-Origins:...
. Mary Harney became the new leader after a bitter election contest with Pat Cox
Pat Cox
Pat Cox is an Irish politician and former television current affairs presenter. He was President of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004 and served as a member of the European Parliament from 1989–2004....
, who later left the party. Harney was the first woman to lead any of the major Irish political parties. Harney served as Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
(deputy prime minister) from May 1997 until September 2006 after a return to government with Fianna Fáil.
In the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
, the party defied expectations by doubling its Dáil seats to eight, although its share of the vote declined slightly to 4%. In total the Progressive Democrats participated in coalition governments four times, on each occasion with Fianna Fáil (1989–1992; 1997–2002; 2002–2007; 2007–2009), and also with the Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
from 2007–2009.
On 7 September 2006 Mary Harney announced that she was stepping down as leader of the Progressive Democrats. She expressed a wish to stay on as Minister for Health. On 10 September, Michael McDowell was elected unopposed as Party Leader, having been nominated by Tom Parlon
Tom Parlon
Tom Parlon is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Laois–Offaly constituency from 2002 to 2007 and was also the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works...
and that nomination being seconded by Liz O'Donnell
Liz O'Donnell
Liz O'Donnell is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician. She was the Deputy Leader of the Progressive Democrats, and represented Dublin South as a Teachta Dála from 1992 to 2007....
. Liz O'Donnell became Deputy Leader and Tom Parlon became Party President.
The 2007 general election, was a disastrous one for the party. The Progressive Democrats lost six of its eight seats in the 166 seat Dáil. Among those to lose their seats were party leader Michael McDowell, deputy leader Liz O'Donnell and party president Tom Parlon. McDowell resigned from public life after he lost his seat, and Mary Harney was asked by the party chairman to resume the role of party leader. Tom Parlon announced on 10 July 2007, that he was leaving public life and would not seek a nomination to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
, or to contest the leadership of the Progressive Democrats. Instead he will take up the position of Director General of the Irish Construction Industry Federation.
A committee headed by former Senator John Dardis
John Dardis
John Dardis is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician who server as a senator from 1989 to 2007. He is a retired farmer and former agricultural journalist.- Early and personal life :...
recommended in September 2007 that the role of leader be taken on by a senator or councillor (although the party rules then required that the position must be held by a TD). A meeting of the party's General council on 16 February 2008 changed the rules to allow any senator, councillor or any party member with the support of 20 other members to stand for the party's leadership and on 17 April, Senator Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon is an Irish politician and the current Minister of State for Training and Skills. He is a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East since the 2011 general election. He is a former leader of the Progressive Democrats party.Before entering politics he was CEO and secretary of IHCPT –...
was elected leader, defeating fellow Senator Fiona O'Malley
Fiona O'Malley
Fiona O'Malley is a former Irish politician. She was a Progressive Democrats Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 2002 until 2007, and was a member of Seanad Éireann from 2007 to 2011.-Career:...
.
The party's two remaining TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
s, Mary Harney
Mary Harney
Mary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
and Noel Grealish, entered into coalition government with Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and the Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
in the 30th Dáil
Members of the 30th Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 30th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and met on 14 June 2007. The 30th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the...
. The party never recovered from this electoral collapse. On 8 November 2008, with all parliamentary members and founder Desmond O'Malley united in the opinion that the party was no longer politically viable, delegates to a special conference in Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
voted by 201 votes to 161 to bring the Progressive Democrats to an end. In January 2009, the party was still operating and in receipt of state funding
, including a Party Leader's Allowance paid to Minister Mary Harney
, but had ceased to receive funding by the following June.
The archives of the Progressive Democrats party were presented to UCD
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
on 10 June 2009. At least 20 former Progressive Democrats councillors won seats on county, city and town councils
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
at the 2009 Local elections
Irish local elections, 2009
The 2009 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, on the same day as the European Parliament election and two by-elections .-Overview:...
. Some were elected as 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...
candidates, some as Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and others as independents.
At the 2011 general election 11 former Progressive Democrats members stood as candidates for the Dáil in a country-wide spread of constituencies. Subsequently, three former PD members were elected. Mary Mitchell O'Connor
Mary Mitchell O'Connor
Mary Mitchell O’Connor is an Irish Fine Gael politician. She was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency at the 2011 general election. She was a Progressive Democrats County Councillor before joining Fine Gael in 2007.-Biography:...
(PD Councillor 2004–08) was elected in Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dún Laoghaire is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
for 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...
, Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon is an Irish politician and the current Minister of State for Training and Skills. He is a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East since the 2011 general election. He is a former leader of the Progressive Democrats party.Before entering politics he was CEO and secretary of IHCPT –...
(PD Senator 2007–09 / Party leader 2008–09) was elected in Galway East for the same party, while Noel Grealish (PD TD 2002–09 / Caretaker leader 2009) was re-elected as an independent TD for Galway West. Several ex-PD members stood for election to Seanad Eireann in 2011. The only successful candidature was that of Cllr Cait Keane(FG), who had served on South Dublin County Council for the PDs between 1991-2008, and had stood for election in the Dublin South Central Constituency for the PDs in 1992, 1994, and 1997.
Policies
The Progressive Democrats' economic policies were based on economic liberalismEconomic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
. They supported a free private enterprise and low-tax policy base. They generally favoured privatisation; for example, they supported the privatisation of the previously state-owned airline Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
and communications company Telecom Éireann
Telecom Éireann
Telecom Éireann, or formally Bord Telecom Éireann - The Irish Telecommunications Board, was created by the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Ireland, under the leadership of the Minister for Posts & Telegraphs...
. They were also part of the break-up of airports company Aer Rianta and unsuccessfully lobbied for a private, competing second terminal in Dublin Airport. The acting PD leader and Minister for Health
Minister for Health and Children (Ireland)
The Minister for Health is the senior minister at the Department of Health in the Government of Ireland and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.The current Minister for Health is James Reilly, TD...
has also been involved in the controversial extension of private sector influence in health care. She pursued a policy of co-location of private hospitals on public hospital grounds and is seen as sympathetic to the privatisation of health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
. However they opposed their coalition partner’s plans to privatise airports company Aer Rianta, on the grounds that a private monopoly would be worse than a public monopoly .
The party was a strong supporter of low taxation. As the Economic and Social Research Institute
Economic and Social Research Institute
The Economic and Social Research Institute is a think tank in Dublin, Ireland. Its research focuses on Ireland's economic and social development in order to inform policy-making and societal understanding....
(ESRI) stated in 2002: "On balance, budgets over the past 10 to 20 years have been more favourable to high income groups than low income groups, but particularly so during periods of high growth". While the party was in government since 1997, the lower rate of income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
fell from 26% to 20% and the upper rate from 48% to 41%.
They supported low corporation tax because they believe it encouraged business growth and for private enterprise to be rewarded. The party often claimed these policies were in part responsible for the "Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger is a term used to describe the economy of Ireland during a period of rapid economic growth between 1995 and 2007. The expansion underwent a dramatic reversal from 2008, with GDP contracting by 14% and unemployment levels rising to 14% by 2010...
" economy. Dermot McAleese, emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
professor of economics at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, says that the emergence of the Progressive Democrats in 1985 may have had a more positive influence on the economy than some recognise. He argues the Irish low-tax, pro-business economy is based in large part on Progressive Democrat policies. "They proved that there was a constituency for this, and they gave the intellectual power to it." (The Irish Times, 31 December 2004).
The party is often described as right-wing
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
. Party leaders rejected the idea that they are ruled by ideology alone. Former party leader Michael McDowell has said that he sees 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 not being on the left-right spectrum as it is a mix of the ideals of both. Mary Harney, on becoming health minister said "I don't get my politics from any ideology, I get it from my experience and common sense". Yet Harney was a controversial minister who has attempted to extend private influence in the health service and McDowell's campaign in the general election was particularly notable for the strong attacks he made on Irish left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
parties.
Despite espousing liberal social policies and having in its ranks the openly gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
Colm O'Gorman
Colm O'Gorman
Colm O'Gorman is an Irishman from County Wexford, founder of One in Four, former senator, and current executive director of Amnesty International in Ireland...
, the Progressive Democrats did not support same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. Instead, they claimed to propose legislating for civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
, however attempts by the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
to legislate for civil unions in the previous Dáil were forestalled by PD Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, due to his insistence that non-sex relationships be recognised too. The Progressive Democrats again voted down the same bill in the current Dáil.
Both Progressive Democrats and other commentators have suggested that the party had a greater influence on government policy since 1997 than might be expected from its size. This belief appears to have some basis – as of September 2004 the party controlled two of the most important cabinet positions (Justice and Health
Minister for Health and Children (Ireland)
The Minister for Health is the senior minister at the Department of Health in the Government of Ireland and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.The current Minister for Health is James Reilly, TD...
), despite having less than one-tenth of the seats of its coalition partner Fianna Fáil.
In a 2000 speech to the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, the then party leader, Mary Harney, appeared to express a desire that Ireland become "closer to Boston than Berlin", adopting US free-market models for economic development, health, education, and other services rather than European Continental models because she believed that the continental countries (such as Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
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...
), while having more equality had bad economies and high unemployment.
However in the midst of the ongoing Irish financial crisis
2008–2011 Irish financial crisis
The 2008–2011 Irish financial crisis, which had stemmed from the financial crisis of 2008, is a major political and economic crisis in Ireland that is partly responsible for the country falling into recession for the first time since the 1980s...
, many have begun to question the legacy of the Progressive Democrats. In a review of the Department of Finance
Department of Finance (Ireland)
The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State....
Robert Wright, a Canadian economist, singled out the policies of the PD's and Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
's 2002 election manifestos as contributing significantly to the 2008 property market crash.
General election results
| Election | Dáil | Share of votes | Seats | Outcome of election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 Irish general election, 1987 The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in... |
25th Members of the 25th Dáil This is a list of the members who were elected to the 25th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1987 general election on 17 February 1987 and met on 10 March 1987. The 25th Dáil was dissolved by President Patrick Hillery, at the request of the... |
11.9% | 14 | Fianna Fáil government |
| 1989 Irish general election, 1989 The Irish general election of 1989 was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 25 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 26th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 29 June... |
26th Members of the 26th Dáil This is a list of the members who were elected to the 26th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1989 general election on 15 June 1989 and met on 29 June 1989. The 26th Dáil was dissolved by President Patrick Hillery, at the request of the... |
5.5% | 6 | Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats government |
| 1992 Irish general election, 1992 The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993... |
27th Members of the 27th Dáil This is a list of the members who were elected to the 27th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1992 general election on 25 November 1992 and met on 4 January 1993. The 27th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary Robinson, at the request of the... |
4.7% | 10 | Fianna Fáil–Labour Party |
| 1997 Irish general election, 1997 The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.... |
28th Members of the 28th Dáil This is a list of the members who were elected to the 28th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1997 general election on 6 June 1997 and met on 26 June 1997. The 28th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the... |
4.7% | 4 | Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats government |
| 2002 Irish general election, 2002 The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern... |
29th Members of the 29th Dáil This is a list of the members who were elected to the 29th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 2002 general election on 17 May 2002 and met on 6 June 2002. The 29th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach... |
4.0% | 8 | Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats government |
| 2007 | 30th Members of the 30th Dáil This is a list of the members who were elected to the 30th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and met on 14 June 2007. The 30th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the... |
2.7% | 2 | Fianna Fáil–Green Party–Progressive Democrats government |
In December 1994, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left entered into government without a general election being called.
Leader
- Desmond O'MalleyDesmond O'MalleyDesmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
(1985–1993) - Mary HarneyMary HarneyMary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
(1993–2006) - Michael McDowellMichael McDowellMichael McDowell is a Senior Counsel in the Bar Council of Ireland and a former politician. A grandson of Irish revolutionary Eoin MacNeill, McDowell was a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party in the mid-1980s...
(2006–2007) - Mary HarneyMary HarneyMary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
[caretaker] (2007–2008) - Ciarán CannonCiarán CannonCiarán Cannon is an Irish politician and the current Minister of State for Training and Skills. He is a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East since the 2011 general election. He is a former leader of the Progressive Democrats party.Before entering politics he was CEO and secretary of IHCPT –...
(2008–2009) - Noel Grealish [caretaker] (2009)
Deputy Leader
- Michael KeatingMichael Keating (Irish politician)Michael Keating is a former Irish politician.-Early life:Michael Keating was born in Dublin in 1946. He was educated at the Christian Brothers O'Connell School, University College Dublin and St. Patrick's College in Maynooth where he received a Bachelor of Arts...
(1986–1989) - Pearse WysePearse WysePearse Wyse was an Irish Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats politician.Pearse Wyse was born in Cork in 1928. He first held political office in 1960 when he was elected to Cork City Council...
(1989–1992) - Pat CoxPat CoxPat Cox is an Irish politician and former television current affairs presenter. He was President of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004 and served as a member of the European Parliament from 1989–2004....
(1992–1994) - Liz O'DonnellLiz O'DonnellLiz O'Donnell is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician. She was the Deputy Leader of the Progressive Democrats, and represented Dublin South as a Teachta Dála from 1992 to 2007....
(2006–2007) - Noel Grealish (2007–2009)
See also
- :Category:Progressive Democrats politicians
- Liberalism worldwideLiberalism worldwideThis article gives information on liberalism in diverse countries around the world. It is an overview of parties that adhere more or less to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world....
- Young Progressive DemocratsYoung Progressive DemocratsThe Young Progressive Democrats were the youth wing of the Irish political party, the Progressive Democrats. Weakened after the party's poor showing in the 1997 elections, they were completely reformed on a national basis after the 2002 general election. A special conference of the Young...