Liberal Democrats sign Dublin Diversity Declaration supporting greater LGBT+ representation in politics.

1 Jul 2022

On 6 June at the recent ALDE Party Congress in Dublin,the Liberal Democrats, alongside 31 of their sister parties from across Europe, signed the Dublin Diversity Declaration, pledging their support and encouraging greater LGBT+ political representation at all levels of government.

Rainbow Platform, the pan-European initiative behind this drive for greater LGBT+ representation in European politics, hosted an event at the 2022 ALDE Party Congress.. At the ceremony, politicans and executives from liberal parties from across Europe spoke of the need to address the issue of low LGBT+ representation in politics and are determined to improve the situation in their countries at European, national, and local levels of government. The political parties also committed themselves to include clauses in their statutes that explicitly mention their commitment to more LGBT + representation and to the defence of LGBT+ rights in their countries.

"The goal is to promote more diversity and representation. Representation matters, and it is very important because all these parties are coming here to walk the talk. To put on more action than just words." said Luis Cano, founder of Rainbow Platform. "This is the beginning of a network action that isolates the problems and says whenever something happens, we the liberals are the ones who are taking action and just not putting everything in a political speech."

Baroness Sal Brinton, who was re-elected at the Congress to a second term as a Vice President of the ALDE Party, and is the Lib Dems Health spokesperson in the Lords, signed the Dublin Declaration on behalf of the Lib Dems - "I am delighted that so many ALDE parties have signed the Dublin Declaration. The current attacks on LGBT+ rights in many countries across Europe, including the UK by populist governments aims to remove their rights. Liberals are standing with all LGBT+ people to protect their rights to live their trues lives, and love who they want."

David Chalmers recently named as Rainbow Platform's UK Ambassador, Chair of the Lib Dem European Group and one of the original founders of the Kaleidoscope Trust was also a signatory to the Declaration - " This is a truly historic moment in European politics. As the European Liberal political family has collectively recognised the lack of LGBT+ representation at all levels of government. Liberal parties from Sweden to Ukraine are are taking action to improve the situation. Rainbow Platform is all about taking practical steps to bring about change. The LibDems are already involved in running a training programme, which will assist officers from our sister parties from across Eastern and Central Europe to identify the challenges facing them and encourage and offer support to LGBT+ politicians and candidates. The signing of the Dublin Declaration is a fantastic way to mark Pride month across Europe."

The fight for LGBT+ rights will be further strengthened by the LibDems nomination of Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett and his recent election on to Liberal International Human Rights Committee.

The full text of the declaration can be accessed at the rainbow platform website: www.rainbowplatform.eu/declarations

Signatory political parties:

Liberal Democrats - England, Scotland and Wales

Alliance Party - Northern Ireland

Fianna Fáil - Ireland

D66 - Netherlands

VVD - Netherlands

Radikale Venstre - Denmark

Venstre - Denmark

Centerpartiet CP - Sweden

Liberalerna Sandviken - Sweden

Momentum -Hungary

Nowoczesna - Poland

NEOS - Austria

Piu Europa - Italy

Radicali Italiani - Italy

Cuidadanos - Spain

Progressive Slovensko - Slovakia

Latvijas Attistibai - Latvia

Suomen Keskusta - Finland

Svenska Folkpartiet - Finland

Venstre - Norway

Demokratesch Partei - Luxembourg

Nasa Stranka - Bosnia Herzogovina

Liberal Democratic Party - North Macedonia

Open VLD - Belgium

Vidreisen - Iceland

Liberal Party - Andorra

Iniciativa Liberal - Portugal

Laisves partija- Lithuania

Movements for Rights & Freedom MRF - Bulgaria

People's Party, Liberal Democrats - Croatia

Movement of Free Citizens PSG - Serbia

Golos - Ukraine

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