EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Elections
Libertas celebrates party-status launch in the UK
10.03.2009 / 16:11 CET
Anti Lisbon treaty movement expands campaign ahead of European Parliament elections.
Libertas, the organisation that campaigned against the Lisbon treaty in Ireland, is expanding its campaign for the European Parliament elections in June with new sister parties in other EU member states. Libertas was established as a party in the UK today (10 March) and will launch in France tomorrow and Malta on 21 March
The campaign in the UK will be led by Robin Matthews, a former soldier. In France, Jérôme Rivière, a former UMP parliamentarian, will lead the party, which will have the backing of Philippe de Villiers, a long-time Eurosceptic, and Frédéric Nihous, the leader of France's Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition party.
At the London launch Declan Ganley, the leader of Libertas, repeated his criticism of UK's Labour government for not holding a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, despite a promise to hold one on its former incarnation, the constitutional treaty. “Almost 80% of laws that change the daily lives of Britons come from Brussels and those laws are drafted by unelected, unaccountable civil servants. Brussels does not want to answer to the people of Europe. We want to bring the EU back to its people,” he said.
Libertas has already launched in Germany, Slovakia, Poland and Lithuania since its pan-European launch in Brussels last December.
The group says it has yet to hear formally from the European Parliament regarding its application for funding as a European political party. The Parliament's bureau initially approved funding for the party then suspended it when questions were raised over two of the supporting signatories.
The campaign in the UK will be led by Robin Matthews, a former soldier. In France, Jérôme Rivière, a former UMP parliamentarian, will lead the party, which will have the backing of Philippe de Villiers, a long-time Eurosceptic, and Frédéric Nihous, the leader of France's Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition party.
At the London launch Declan Ganley, the leader of Libertas, repeated his criticism of UK's Labour government for not holding a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, despite a promise to hold one on its former incarnation, the constitutional treaty. “Almost 80% of laws that change the daily lives of Britons come from Brussels and those laws are drafted by unelected, unaccountable civil servants. Brussels does not want to answer to the people of Europe. We want to bring the EU back to its people,” he said.
Libertas has already launched in Germany, Slovakia, Poland and Lithuania since its pan-European launch in Brussels last December.
The group says it has yet to hear formally from the European Parliament regarding its application for funding as a European political party. The Parliament's bureau initially approved funding for the party then suspended it when questions were raised over two of the supporting signatories.
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