DE

Mediterranean Dialogue
New impetus on the Tagus: Will Portugal tip the scales for European liberals?

Delegation strategic triangle

From left to right: António Amaral. International Officer of Iniciativa Liberal (IL); David Henneberger, Head of FNF Madrid office; Rui Rocha. President of IL; Odilia Abreu, Senior Porject Manager FNF Madrid and Rodrigo Saraiva. MP of IL.

© FNF Madrid

In March, a meeting with the new leadership of the partner party "Iniciativa Liberal" (IL) took place in the parliament in Lisbon - intensive cooperation with the new leadership was agreed. Rui Rocha MP was elected as the new party leader only in January. Rocha told David Henneberger, Madrid office manager, and Odilia Abreu, senior program manager in the Mediterranean Dialogue Project, that he saw the future of the party in the even stronger integration of the IL in the European party family. Rocha was particularly optimistic about the European elections in 2024, which could mean crucial votes for the Liberal parliamentary group in Brussels. Since an above-average number of educated voters from metropolitan regions go to the polls in EP elections, the party expects even better results here than at the national level. The party's history is also a real success story in the country itself: founded only in 2017, the party was able to increase its parliamentary seats from one to eight, and thus by 800%, in only its second attempt. The party is particularly committed to urgently needed economic reforms and the de-bureaucratization of the very politically static country.

Focus on Africa and Latin America 

A two-day conference organized by partner IPDAL focused on new geopolitical and multilateral perspectives and Portugal's role as a mediator between Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Odilia Abreu spoke on the "Role of Science and Innovation in Latin American, African and European Companies." In this context, there was also an opportunity to present the work of FNF Madrid to strengthen the participation of women in the technology and innovation sector, which are bundled in the Euthenia initiative: A Network for Women Leaders from across the Mediterranean.