Treasurer – David Burke
Fianna Fáil, Ireland
A qualified Chartered Accountant, David Burke became the Finance Director of ALDE Party member Fianna Fáil in Ireland in 2009. During his tenure, he oversaw a professionalisation of the Party's Fundraising, Financial and Campaigning model.
In 2021, Burke took on the role of ALDE Party Treasurer. Since then, he has managed ALDE Party’s accounts demonstrating a deep commitment in assisting ALDE Party members. Previously, he covered the roles of Audit Senior at KPMG and Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Alde Party bureau
vice-president – yevheniia kravchuk
Servant of the People, Ukraine
Kravchuk has been serving as a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament since 2019, and as Vice-President of the ALDE Group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Her key areas of expertise include cultural diplomacy, media reform, disinformation and propaganda.
In her role as ALDE Party Vice-President, she aims to strengthen Europe’s security against propaganda and disinformation, advocating Ukraine’s smooth integration into the EU, promoting empowerment and equal engagement of women and young people in the life of society, and intensifying cultural diplomacy exchanges among the liberal family.
vice-president – eva kjer hansen
Venstre, Denmark
Eva Kjer Hansen served as a member of the Danish Folketing for Venstre between 1990-2022. She held many ministerial positions, the last being as minister of Fisheries, Gender Equality and Nordic Cooperation from 2018-2019.
She also covered the roles of Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries; Minister of Social Affairs; and Minister for Women's Rights. She was elected as ALDE Party Vice-President at the ALDE Party Congress in Stockholm in May 2023.
vice-president – rik daems
Open VLD, Belgium
With over 35 years of experience in local, regional, national and international politics, Rik Daems is an expert on democracy and electoral systems, mainly advocating for fundamental rights and freedoms as well as on economic issues.
Daems has served as a Member of the Belgian and Flemish Parliaments and of the city council of Leuven. He has been a member of the Belgian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) since 2007, and led the ALDE Group between 2017-20, when he was elected as PACE President.
vice-president – baroness sal brinton
Liberal Democrats, United Kingdom
A former President of the Lib Dems between 2015 and 2020, Baroness Sal Brinton has been a member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords since 2011, advocating for policies on social justice, individual freedoms, democratic governance and human rights.
As ALDE Party Vice-President, she chaired the review of the ALDE Party Charter of Values and liaised between the non-EU member parties grouping and the Bureau. She also created the Lib Dem Leadership Programme for women, disabled people, LGBT+ and ethnic minority candidates, resulting in the most diverse group of Lib Dem MPs in the recent General Election in July 2024.
vice-president – dan barna mep
USR, Romania
Formerly Romania's Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State of the Ministry of European Funds, Dan Barna joined USR in 2016 and was elected as an MP in the Chamber of Deputies.
In October 2017, he was elected as USR's President, leading the party's rise from opposition to government and setting the standard for good governance in Romania. He oversaw the portfolios of Transport, Health, Justice, Economy, and European Funds, at the height of the social tension generated by the Covid-19 waves.
Currently, he serves as ALDE Party and Renew Europe Vice-President, having been elected to the European Parliament as USR's lead candidate for the 2024 European elections.
vice-president – malik azmani
VVD, The Netherlands
In 2010, Malik Azmani was elected as a Member of Parliament in the Netherlands. In his nine-year tenure, he focused on migration and security issues, chairing the Committee on European Affairs in the House of Representatives and serving as member of the Dutch delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Since being elected to the European Parliament in 2019, he has been VVD's delegation leader and served as Renew Europe's First Vice-Chair, working hard for a strong Europe on the world stage. His efforts have included reaching new migration agreements at the European level and agreements with third countries.
vice-president – yoko alender
Eesti Reformierakond, Estonia
Yoko Alender has served as a Member of the Estonian Parliament since 2015 and was appointed as Estonia's Minister for Climate and ALDE Party Vice-President in 2024. A key figure in the Estonian Reform Party, she has led initiatives on environmental and cultural matters and contributed to numerous election manifestos.
She is widely recognised for playing a pivotal role in advancing green policies across Europe, and is equally dedicated to empowering women in politics, having been a member and trainer for the Alliance of Her since 2016, where she actively mentors aspiring liberal leaders.
president – svenja hahn mep
FDP, Germany
Svenja Hahn was elected ALDE Party President in 2024, previously leading the party's efforts to coordinate a common electoral manifesto for the 2024 European elections as one of the Vice-Presidents. She was elected to the European Parliament in 2019 as the second lead candidate on FDP's list, campaigning under the motto "Seize Europe's opportunities".
After graduating from high school in 2009, Hahn moved to Giessen in Hesse for her bachelor's degree in history and cultural studies at the Justus Liebig University, where she became a member of the FDP. In 2014, she was elected to the board of the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC) for the first time. From 2018 to 2020, she was president of the association, which has around 200,000 members in almost 40 countries.
Vice-President – Lucia Plaváková
Progresívne slovensko, Slovakia
Plaváková is a lawyer, human rights activist and a progressive politician who has been a Member of the Slovak Parliament since October 2023, serving as the chair of its Human Rights Committee and a member of the Slovak delegation in Council of Europe.
Her mission lies in defending the rule of law, justice, human rights and equality. She is a co-founder of an NGO focused on rainbow families, and has provided pro bono legal advice at a counseling center for LGBTI+ people as well as to people fleeing Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Vice-President – Lucia Plaváková
Progresívne Slovensko, Slovakia – Vice-President
Plaváková is a lawyer, human rights activist and a progressive politician who has been a Member of the Slovak Parliament since October 2023, serving as the chair of its Human Rights Committee and a member of the Slovak delegation in Council of Europe.
Her mission lies in defending the rule of law, justice, human rights and equality. She is a co-founder of an NGO focused on rainbow families, and has provided pro bono legal advice at a counseling center for LGBTI+ people as well as to people fleeing Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The life of a democratic party
As a member-driven organisation, our national political parties are at our core. Our members’ delegates gather at least twice a year at the ALDE Party Congress and ALDE Party Council meetings.
ALDE Party Congress
The ALDE Party Congress is the highest decision-making forum, electing the political leadership and adopting policies and other documents setting out our vision, such as Manifestos for the European elections.
The Congress brings together delegates from all our member parties, our parliamentary group, liberal and democrat European Commissioners, national Ministers, MPs and representatives of liberal youth.
ALDE Party Council
The Council, composed of a smaller number of representatives, is the party’s second highest decision-making body, meeting at least twice a year.
The Council discusses membership applications, membership fees, the party’s annual budget and accounts and nominates the Secretary General.
ALDE Party Bureau
The Bureau is ALDE Party’s political leadership. The President, the Treasurer and 9 Vice-Presidents, elected by Congress on a two-year mandate, set the day-to-day political guidelines of the party.
In addition, the Bureau comprises ex-officio members representing various partners in our family, including the Presidents of Liberal International, LYMEC, ELF, Renew Europe, Renew Europe CoR and ALDE-PACE.
ALDE Party Secretariat
The daily management of the Party’s activities is led by the Secretary-General and over 20 members of staff in the party’s headquarters in Brussels. The scope and financial limitations of the management powers are defined by the Bureau.
European Parliament
Liberals and democrats in Renew Europe, one of the eight political groups in the European Parliament, work towards turning liberal ideas into legislation serving our European interests.
Following the 2024 European elections, Renew Europe has 77 Members of the European Parliament within its ranks, led by Valérie Hayer MEP. Of these, 52 (67.5%) belong to ALDE Party members, while the others represent the European Democratic Party and national non-affiliated delegations such as Renaissance (FR).
European Liberal Youth (LYMEC)
Established in 1976, LYMEC represents 250,000 young liberal democrats across Europe and seeks to promote our values among future generations of liberal youth.
European Liberal Forum - ELF
Our political foundation ELF brings together national political foundations and think-tanks in the European Union who, within the framework of liberal, democratic and reformist ideals, wish to contribute to the European Union.
Through education, training, research and the promotion of active citizenship, the Forum contributes to the debate on European public policy issues and the further process of European integration.
Partner organisations
With LYMEC, ELF, and partners such as the ALDE Group in the Parliamentary Assembly the Council of Europe (ALDE-PACE) and the Renew Europe Group in the Committee of the Regions (Renew Europe CoR), us liberals work on our promotion of open societies and open markets at all levels.
The Bureau is ALDE Party’s political leadership. The President, the Treasurer and 9 Vice-Presidents, elected by Congress on a two-year mandate, set the day-to-day political guidelines of the party.
In addition, the Bureau comprises ex-officio members representing various partners in our family, including the Presidents of Liberal International, LYMEC, ELF, Renew Europe, Renew Europe CoR and ALDE-PACE.
Click on their pictures to read through their bios.
The Bureau is ALDE Party’s political leadership. The President, the Treasurer and 9 Vice-Presidents, elected by Congress on a two-year mandate, set the day-to-day political guidelines of the party.
In addition, the Bureau comprises ex-officio members representing various partners in our family, including the Presidents of Liberal International, LYMEC, ELF, Renew Europe, Renew Europe CoR and ALDE-PACE.
Start with the customer – find out what they want and give it to them.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS:
ALDE Party Secretary General
Didrik de Schaetzen
Liberal International President
Hakima El Haite
LYMEC President
Ines Holzegger
European Liberal Forum President
Jan-Christoph Oetjen MEP
President of Renew Europe in the European Parliament
Valérie Hayer MEP
President of ALDE-PACE
Iulian Bulai
President of Renew Europe CoR
François Decoster
vice-president – jouni ovaska
Keskusta, Finland
Jouni Ovaska has been a Member of the Parliament of Finland since 2019, previously serving as Keskusta’s Secretary General between 2016-18. He is currently Chair of the Transport and Communications Committee and works as a spokesperson on EU affairs for his parliamentary group.
Ovaska wants to build a stronger ALDE Party which connects liberals, democrats and centrists and enables them to defend liberal values and democracy, fighting against extremism and creating a more competitive and prosperous Europe.