CONSERVATIVE LIBERALISM

'Conservative liberalism' is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with conservative stances, or, more simply, representing the right-wing of the liberal movement. The roots of it are to be found at the beginning of the history of liberalism: until the World Wars, in most European countries the political class was formed by conservative liberals, from Germany to Italy.

Contents

Ideology and issues

Conservative-liberal parties worldwide

Current conservative-liberal parties

Parties with conservative-liberal factions

Historical conservative-liberal parties or parties with conservative-liberal factions

See also

Ideology and issues

Conservative liberals differ from social liberals for some main reasons:

★ First, they are more concerned with economic liberalism, adopting libertarian or neo-liberal policies, while the second ones tend to be more keen on Keynesian solutions and on higher taxes, though still supporting individual liberty as well as decentralization. Conservative liberals, in contrast, are staunch supporters of the free-market, small government, less bureaucracy, deregulation, privatizations and the lowering of taxes, often proposing the flat tax.

★ Second, they place less emphasis upon social and moral issues (such as euthanasia or gay marriage), although they are usually socially liberal on them.

★ Third, they are strong supporters of economic globalization and tend to be more skeptical about international organizations like the United Nations or European Union. Most conservative liberals support the foreign policy of the United States and, in NATO-member states support that political alliance.

★ Fourth, conservative liberals are often in favor of stricter rules on immigration and are not enthusiastic about multiculturalism, of which social liberals are strong supporters. Conservative liberals often identify as law and order-parties, which are tougher on crime and support higher levels of punishment and are more committed to fighting terrorism, while social liberals tend to emphasize prevention and are more committed to civil rights.

★ Fifth, historically, conservative liberals tended to be more skeptical about universal suffrage than social or classical liberals.
One should not confuse conservative liberalism with liberal conservatism; indeed, the latter is a variant of conservatism. Liberal conservatives tend to be more committed to authority, tradition and established religion, while conservative liberals are supporters of the separation between church and state. However it is possible to classify some parties as both conservative-liberal and liberal-conservative.

Conservative-liberal parties worldwide

Current conservative-liberal parties

★ Belgium: New-Flemish Alliance, Dedecker List

★ Bulgaria: National Movement Simeon II

★ Croatia: Croatian People's Party and Croatian Social Liberal Party

★ Czechia: Civic Democratic Alliance

★ Denmark: Liberal Party of Denmark

★ Estonia: Estonian Reform Party

★ Germany: Free Democratic Party

★ Ireland: Progressive Democrats

★ Latvia: Latvian Way

★ Lithuania: Liberal and Centre Union

★ Netherlands: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Party for Freedom

★ Peru: Popular Action

★ Romania: National Liberal Party and Liberal Democratic Party

★ Serbia: G17 Plus and Liberals of Serbia

★ Slovakia: Alliance of the New Citizen

★ Spain: Democratic Convergence of Catalonia

★ Switzerland: Free-thinking Democratic Party of Switzerland and Liberal Party of Switzerland

Parties with conservative-liberal factions

★ Australia: Liberal Party

★ Brazil: Liberal Front Party

★ Canada: Conservative Party of Canada

★ Chile: National Renewal

★ Finland: National Coalition Party

★ France: Union for a Popular Movement, namely The Reformers and The Free Right

★ Ireland: Fianna Fáil

★ Italy: Forza Italia, namely Popular Liberalism and Liberal Reformers

★ Japan: Liberal Democratic Party

★ Poland: Civic Platform

★ Portugal: Social Democratic Party

★ Spain: Popular Party

★ United Kingdom: UK Conservative Party

★ United States: Republican Party

Historical conservative-liberal parties or parties with conservative-liberal factions

★ Austria: Freedom Party of Austria (until 1993)

★ Canada: Progressive Conservative Party of Canada

★ France: Democratic Republican Alliance, National Centre of Independents and Peasants and Republican Party/Liberal Democracy

★ Germany: National Liberal Party and German People's Party

★ Italy: Italian Liberal Party

See also

★ Liberal conservatism