At the 15 May 2025 International Democracy Union (IDU) Forum held in Brussels, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Party – an active member of the IDU – reaffirmed its commitment to defending freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
Amid rising global instability, ECR leaders emphasised the strategic importance of uniting centre-right forces worldwide to address shared challenges. The Forum was a platform to call for renewed international cooperation grounded in democratic legitimacy, sovereignty, and shared responsibility.
“At a time of geopolitical uncertainty and growing global tensions, we must speak with one voice – the voice of free nations working together to defend democracy, stability and security,” said via video message Mateusz Morawiecki, President of the ECR Party.
“Freedom is what defines us, not only as centre-right political forces but, more importantly, as Europeans and as part of the Western world. It is written in our history, in our blood, in our roots,” noted Carlo Fidanza, ECR Party Executive Vice President.
“We may come from different centre-right traditions, but what unites us is far stronger than what sets us apart. We are the family of the democratic centre-right, rooted in our nations’ histories, values, and responsibilities,” added Antonio Giordano, ECR Party Secretary General.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered a video address, stating:
“I’m very proud to be part of the International Democracy Union (IDU), a global alliance of centre-right parties to which we proudly belong. I’m immensely proud of the work the EU centre right has carried out for 42 years, promoting and defending freedom and democracy across the globe — a fight initiated decades ago.”
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever also addressed the Forum: “ A few weeks ago, I debated a well-known Flemish philosopher who called on progressives to reclaim the belief in progress. After the debate, he handed me his book and wrote in the dedication that conservatives are sometimes better allies to his thinking than his own progressive friends. So we asked him: if your progressive friends have left the church of modernism and you’re preaching to an empty choir, isn’t it time to take a long look in the mirror — and to admit that there’s nothing to do but to join our conservative ranks?”
Focusing on resilience, innovation, and principled leadership, the ECR Party is calling for a new era of international centre-right collaboration based on sovereignty and democratic accountability.
