Centrist Democrat International

Centrist Democrat International
Abbreviation CDI
Formation 1961
Purpose World federation of centre/moderate political parties
Headquarters Brussels, Belgium
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
62
Official language
French, English and Spanish
Chairman
Pier Ferdinando Casini
Website www.idc-cdi.com

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,[1] still sometimes used colloquially). This political international was created in 1961 in Santiago, Chile[2][3] as the Christian Democrat World Union, building on the legacy of other Christian Democrat internationals[4] who tried to create a Christian-inspired third way[5] alternative to the socialist internationals; in 1982 it was renamed for the first time Christian Democrat International.[6] The name officially changed due to the participation of groups of various faiths.[7] It is the global international political group dedicated to the promotion of Christian democracy. Although it gathers parties from around the globe, its members are drawn principally from Europe and Latin America. Some of them 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 links 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).

Executive Committee

The CDI Executive Committee is the highest body of the organisation, formed by the president, the executive secretary and the vice-presidents.

The current president of the CDI is Pier Ferdinando Casini of Italy, while its Executive Secretary is Spanish MEP Antonio López-Istúriz, who is also Secretary-General of the EPP[8]

The members of the Executive Committee are:

Member parties

Country Party Abbr Government
 Albania Democratic Party of Albania PD in opposition
 Algeria National Rally for Democracy RND in government
 Angola National Union for the Total Independence of Angola UNITA in opposition
 Argentina Christian Democratic Party PDC in opposition
 Armenia Rule of Law OEK junior party in government
 Aruba Aruban People's Party AVP/PPA in opposition
 Belgium Christian Democratic and Flemish CD&V junior party in Di Rupo Government
 Bolivia Christian Democratic Party PDCB in opposition
 Brazil Democrats DEM in opposition
 Bulgaria Union of Democratic Forces SDS extraparliamentary opposition
 Burkina Faso Union for the Republic UR in opposition
 Cambodia National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia FUNCINPEC in opposition
 Cape Verde Movement for Democracy MPD in opposition
 Chile Christian Democratic Party PDC in government
 Colombia Colombian Conservative Party PCC junior party in government
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Movement for the Liberation of the Congo MLC in opposition
 Ivory Coast Rally of the Republicans[9] RDR in government
 Croatia Croatian Democratic Union HDZ in opposition
 Cuba Christian Liberation Movement MCL in exile
 Cuba Christian Democratic Party of Cuba PDCC in exile
 Curaçao National People's Party NVP/PNP in opposition
 Cyprus Democratic Rally DISY in government
 Czech Republic Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party KDU–ČSL in government
 Denmark Christian Democrats KD not in parliament
 Dominican Republic Social Christian Reformist Party PRSC in opposition
 Ecuador Christian Democratic Union UDC in opposition
 El Salvador Christian Democratic Party PDC in opposition
 France Union for a Popular Movement UMP in opposition
 Germany Christian Democratic Union CDU leader of government coalition
 Greece New Democracy ND in opposition
 Equatorial Guinea Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea APGE in opposition
 Hungary Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Alliance FIDESZ in government
 Ireland Fine Gael FG leader of government coalition
 Italy Union of the Centre UdC junior party in grand coalition government
 Italy UDEUR Populars UDEUR in opposition
 Lebanon Lebanese Christian Democratic Union junior party of government
 Lebanon Kataeb Phalange in opposition
 Malta Nationalist Party PN in opposition
 Mauritania Union for Democracy and Progress UDP in opposition
 Mauritania Union for the Republic UR in government
 Mexico National Action Party PAN in opposition
 Morocco Istiqlal Party in opposition
 Mozambique Democratic Movement of Mozambique MDM in opposition
 Netherlands Christian Democratic Appeal CDA in opposition
 Norway Christian People's Party KrF in opposition
 Panama People's Party PP in opposition
 Paraguay Christian Democratic Party PDC in opposition
 Peru Christian People's Party PPC in opposition
 Philippines Struggle of Democratic Filipinos LDP junior party of government
 Philippines Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats Lakas in opposition
 Portugal Social Democratic Party PSD leader of government coalition
 Romania Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party PNȚ-CD in opposition
 Romania Democratic Liberal Party PD-L in opposition
 San Marino Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party PDCS largest party in Parliament
 Slovakia Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party SDKÚ-DS in opposition
 Slovenia New Slovenia NSi in opposition
 Slovenia Slovenian Democratic Party SDS in opposition
 Spain People's Party PP in government
 Spain Democratic Union of Catalonia UDC part of CiU
 Sweden Christian Democrats KD junior party of Alliance government
 Ukraine Christian Democratic Union KDS in opposition
 Venezuela Christian Social Party 'Copei' COPEI in opposition

Observer parties

Candidate

In 2008, Russian party, United Russia, the party of Vladimir Putin, applied for membership.[10]

See also

Notes

Literature

External links