104-709: The European Ideas Network is an open centre-right think tank sponsored by the EPP Group and based in the European Parliament in Brussels. The EIN works as a pan-European policy framework designed to promote new thinking on the key challenges facing the countries of the European Union . With an active membership of around 3,000 policy-makers and opinion-shapers across the European Union,
208-574: A liberal variant of conservatism . Conservative centre-right parties are more likely to incorporate ethnic nationalism relative to liberal centre-right parties. Conservatives and liberals both oppose heavy governmental involvement in the economy. Right-liberalism is common in Europe, contrasted with the centrist liberalism in Canada and the United Kingdom, and with the left-liberalism of
312-525: A centre-right coalition in Venezuela. Canada was one of the last Anglosphere countries for the centre-right to be restored after World War II, with no centre-right parties holding power until the premiership of Stephen Harper in 2006. The 2007–2008 financial crisis was followed by a decline in support for major centre-right and centre-left parties through the 2010s. For the centre-right, this occurred most prominently in newer democracies, while support
416-653: A challenge for Christian democracy, causing it to lose political influence. African political parties rapidly began joining political internationals in the 1990s. Among the centre-right, collaboration began between the Ghana New Patriotic Party , the Malawi Congress Party , and the Kenya Democratic Party . Japan, which had been ruled almost consistently by the centre-right Liberal Democratic Party for decades, saw
520-689: A consolidation of the middle-class at the expense of socialist parties. These centre-right parties gained influence during the Depression of 1920–1921 , where they responded with measures such as a restoration of the gold standard . Among the strongest of these parties were National Bloc and its successors in France, the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, and a coalition of the Catholic Conservative Party and
624-608: A dialogue platform within the West and throughout liberal democracies to assess the international security situation and the challenges of defense and national security produced by the Jihadist terrorism aimed at many countries around the world, TAG today brings together a variety of legislators from EU, US, and Canada to cooperate on a wide range of issues that are deemed important to the transatlantic partners. The co-chairs of TAG are Paulo Rangel for Europe and Congressman Jeff Duncan for
728-866: A dominant political force in much of the western world over the following decades, including the American Republican Party as led by Dwight D. Eisenhower , one-nation conservatism of the British Conservative Party, and Gaullism of the Rally of the French People . Europe had little appetite for nationalist ideologies after the end of fascism, so Christian democracy was popularised as an alternative right-wing ideology. Instead of nationalism, its ideas were based on traditional values , pragmatism, and support for moderate state intervention. Its conception of government
832-633: A means to limit the appeal of the nationalism that had led to fascism. In the United States, the centre-right was associated with the Rockefeller Republican faction of the Republican Party. The American centre-right promoted pro-business stances over the following decades, which led to economic justifications for supporting higher taxes as well as social programs such as public housing . Christian democrats supported
936-783: A member of the International Advisory Council of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq , a group with ties to the Bush administration pushing for an invasion of Iraq in 2003 . On 8 April 2008, during his visit in Israel and the Palestinian Authority , Bildt gave an interview to Swedish state radio, where he responded to a question on whether it would be possible to strike a peace deal without
1040-974: A member of the board of the European Policy Centre in Brussels , the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Affairs in New York. Bildt served as non-executive director of the Baltimore-based US assets management company Legg Mason, Inc. He served as chairman of the board of Teleopti and chairman of the public affairs consultancy Kreab AB, and board member of
1144-545: A modest welfare state, and the European centre-right was reluctant to support more radical initiatives to liberalise the economy. In Southeast Asia, the centre-right secured power in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, implementing growth-oriented policies based on free market policies with moderate governmental intervention, leading to significant economic expansion. The centre-right rose to power in Greece with
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#17327811539101248-453: A period of opposition to immigration in Europe at this time. By the 1980s, the post-war consensus had ended, with the new right supporting neoconservatism and neoliberalism . At this time, centre-right parties took a more active role in challenging the welfare state and union influence. The predominantly centre-right United States Republican Party began a rightward shift in the 1980s, with its moderate factions declining in numbers over
1352-415: A political force with the creation of party systems in the 19th century, when monarchist and religious conservatives competed with individualist and anti-clerical liberals. Christian democracy developed in the 1870s as another response to anti-clericalism. The centre-right provided a moderate position to compete with socialism in the 19th century, and it became a driving force for liberal democracy in
1456-470: A proliferation of centre-right opposition parties by the 1990s, with new parties forming and established parties shifting toward the centre-right to remain competitive. Following the rise of the Third Way among left-wing politics in the 1990s, the centre-right was forced to moderate, sacrificing the more aggressive aspects of right-wing politics that developed in the 1980s and abandoning its opposition to
1560-412: A religious justification for supporting democratisation , individual liberties , and international cooperation. Christian democrats hold conservative positions on most issues, but in a more moderate fashion than groups specifically described as conservative, and they trend centrist on economic issues. Instead of a strong government, it advocates decentralisation where other social units such as family,
1664-608: A result, Sweden in November 1992 was forced to abandon its policy of a fixed exchange rate and allow the Swedish crown to float freely. As part of the effort to handle the economic crisis, the government was able to conclude an agreement with the Social Democratic opposition on some of its expenditure-cutting measures. By 1994 the economy was registering strong growth, and the deficits were declining, although unemployment
1768-492: A unique forum in which to develop innovative ideas about the policy challenges facing Europe in the years ahead and to formulate practical solutions to help address them. The European Ideas Network was launched in the summer of 2002 with the active support of the European People's Party Group and under the chairmanship of James Elles . It is prominent in centre-right European politics. The current and third chairman of
1872-694: Is also associated with anti-communism , which earned it support during the Cold War . Culturally, the centre-right has prioritised national and religious identity, especially by the mid-20th century. It has used religion and moral values as uniting elements, particularly with the middle class . European centre-right parties place higher priority on Christianity and providing support to Christians—a trait often shared with their far-right counterparts. The centre-right more strongly supports freedom of religion overall, as opposed to generalised support of human rights expressed by left-wing ideologies. As European
1976-449: Is continuous with that of the 19th century, and Christian democracy is sometimes regarded separately from the typical right-wing voter bloc. Conservatism is commonly grouped with the centre-right, though adherents of the far-right may argue that the centre-right is insufficiently conservative. Liberalism is sometimes grouped with the centre-right when it is expressed as conservative liberalism . The centre-right can also include
2080-556: Is derived from the left–right political spectrum , which originated with the seating arrangements of the National Assembly during the French Revolution . The centre-right came into being in the 19th century, developing with the earliest political parties . Modern conservatism was derived from the ideas of British philosopher Edmund Burke and various 17th century figures who preceded him. The liberal movement
2184-465: Is heterogeneous and encompasses multiple distinct ideologies. Centre-right parties and coalitions are traditionally understood to be divided into separate factions depending on their priorities: economic, social, and cultural. They are unified by their opposition to left-wing politics . Christian democracy is a political ideology predominant in Europe that is often described as centre-right. It applies Christian morality to political issues, giving
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#17327811539102288-444: Is more likely to present immigration as a prominent issue when it is placed in the context of economic and cultural policy. Right-wing politics has historically opposed social acceptance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, but the European centre-right has come to support protections on the basis of sexual orientation. Some centre-right groups have taken the position that gay marriage and adoption by gay couples are an extension of
2392-769: Is the set of right-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre . It is commonly associated with conservatism , Christian democracy , liberal conservatism , and conservative liberalism . Conservative and liberal centre-right parties have historically been more successful in the Anglosphere , while Christian democracy has been the primary centre-right ideology in Europe. The centre-right commonly supports ideas such as small government , law and order , freedom of religion , and strong national security . It has historically stood in opposition to radical politics , redistributive policies , multiculturalism , immigration , and LGBT acceptance. Economically,
2496-522: The 2008 South Ossetia war , Bildt wrote on his blog that the Russian rationale for its intervention, concern for the welfare of its expatriates in the Near Abroad , had similarities with the rationale for the annexation of Sudetenland . Bildt called South Ossetian independence "a joke", and said it would be supported only by a "miserable" lot of countries. After leaving his position as leader of
2600-548: The 2011 military intervention in Libya . On 29 March, the government approved the deployment of JAS 39 Gripen multirole jet fighters to Libya to enforce the no-fly zone. Following the 2014 European elections , the Financial Times and other news media considered Bildt as a potential candidate to succeed Ashton as High Representative; this time, the position went to Federica Mogherini . Bildt lost his post after
2704-533: The 2014 general election , and moved on to become a board member of the International Crisis Group . Bildt was as foreign minister in 2007 an active supporter for Turkey to join the EU. He called Istanbul a "true center of European history" and called Kemal Atatürk "undoubtedly the most significant European revolutionary of the last century" in 2004. Bildt's campaign for Turkey's EU membership
2808-980: The Bosnian War . From 1999 to 2001, he served as the United Nations Secretary-General 's Special Envoy for the Balkans . Since 2021, Bildt also has been the World Health Organization 's Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT Accelerator). Bildt was born on 15 July 1949 in Halmstad, Halland , to an old Danish -Norwegian-Swedish noble family , the Bildt family , traditionally domiciled in Bohuslän . His grandfather's grandfather, Gillis Bildt ,
2912-735: The Centrist Democrat International and centre-right liberal parties are affiliated with the International Democracy Union . In Europe, centre-right parties are affiliated with the European People's Party . Centre-right politics is associated with conservative positions on social and cultural issues and free-market liberal positions on economic issues—centre-right parties see their strongest support among demographics that share all of these positions. It broadly supports small government , though different factions hold different beliefs about when
3016-689: The European Space Agency 's Director General Antonio Rodotà on the organization's future. In 2002, Bildt joined the board of directors of Vostok Nafta , a financial company primarily with holdings in Gazprom . He left his positions on all these boards upon becoming Foreign Minister in October 2006 Though decorated for his services in the Bosnian conflict and its immediate aftermath by Great Britain, France, and Germany, his mediation of
3120-628: The Great Depression set in. In nations where the centre-right lacked a unified party, such as Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, far-right movements seized power. Strong pre-existing centre-right parties retained power in other countries, including Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The use of market economics to keep wages steady, as well as the relative weakness of labour unions, meant that centre-right liberalism went unchallenged in much of Europe. In
3224-526: The New Democracy party in the 1970s, led by Konstantinos Karamanlis as Greece transitioned from dictatorship to democracy. Spain and Portugal underwent similar transitions as they emerged from dictatorship. The 1970s saw decreasing support for welfare policies with the end of the postwar economic boom and the economic fallout of the 1970s energy crisis . This led to increased support for privatisation and cuts in welfare spending. It also led
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3328-609: The Radicals in Switzerland. Christian democracy found a place among the European centre-right during the interwar period . Centre-right parties became the primary supporters of liberal democracy at this time, challenging the historical association of liberalism with the labour movement . The liberal centre-right opposed the other two European ideologies that were growing in popularity: fascism and social democracy . The European centre-right declined between 1931 and 1935 as
3432-773: The Riksdag in 1979, holding a seat until 2001. A member of the Bildt family , he is a great-great grandson of Baron Gillis Bildt , who was Prime Minister of Sweden from 1888 to 1889. Bildt had been noted internationally as a mediator in the Yugoslav wars , serving as the European Union 's Special Envoy to the Former Yugoslavia from June 1995, co-chairman of the Dayton Peace Conference in November 1995 and High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from December 1995 to June 1997, immediately after
3536-412: The aftermath of World War II , the old centre-right was discredited in Europe, where it was seen as responsible for the Great Depression and complicit in the rise of fascism. European centre-right parties worked closely with the centre-left and the political centre in the post-war era , helping to define the welfare state, democratic consolidation , and European integration . They sought to avoid
3640-528: The 1970s caused a rise in support for neoliberalism and neoconservatism . The dissolution of the Soviet Union allowed a new centre-right movement to develop and take power in Central and Eastern Europe through the 1990s. The 2007–2008 financial crisis led to declining support for the centre-right, and the following decade saw it replaced by greater support for far-right politics . The centre-right
3744-572: The Balkans. Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, without the approval of the UN Security Council, and Sweden recognised it on 4 March 2008. On 8 March 2008, Bildt became the first foreign minister to officially visit Kosovo after it declared its independence. On 6 October 2006, Bildt was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the newly formed cabinet of Fredrik Reinfeldt . This
3848-692: The Cold War, centre-right groups supported the United States and the Western Bloc , opposing the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc . In several countries, centre-right parties were opposed by domestic communism on top of their opposition to the Soviet Union. As suffrage expanded and the centre-right spread across social classes, cultural issues and social identity, such as support for nationalism and religion, became more prominent themes. The European centre-right began supporting social integration as
3952-511: The Council of the European Union in 2009, he chaired the sessions of the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council. For several years, he was widely seen as a candidate to become the first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy under the new rules established by the Treaty of Lisbon ; instead, the role went to Catherine Ashton . Bildt later supported
4056-513: The EIN brings together foremost MEPs — as these represent the views of the European population, and then politicians, who coming from EU member states are confirmed to be democratically elected, hereafter businessman, academics, policy advisers, think-tankers, journalists and representatives of civil society who share a common outlook Europe-wide, as well as non-party experts and commentators interested in public issues being addressed. The network offers
4160-432: The EIN is Paulo Rangel, who succeeded Jaime Mayor Oreja . Its director is Guillermo Martínez Casañ . The network has been steadily expanding its area of activity since 2002, mostly notably through its annual Summer University. It initially had eight working groups in 2002 covering: the implications of globalisation and demographic change; the promotion of democracy and accountability in the EU; how to create jobs in Europe;
4264-732: The EU as full member on 1 January 1995, thus fulfilling a key part of the platform of the Bildt government. By that time his governing coalition had lost its majority in the September 1994 elections , in spite of his Moderate party making slight gains. The economic program of the government was focused primarily on a series of structural reforms aiming at improving competitiveness and improving growth. Economic reforms were enacted, including voucher schools , liberalizing markets for telecommunications and energy, privatizing publicly owned companies and health care, contributing to substantially liberalizing
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4368-399: The EU member states; Making Europe A Safer Place; Neighborhood Policies – Eastern Partnership and Enlargement; Transatlantic Relations; Globalization and International Trade; Digital Economy; Common Agriculture Policy. The network also launched a unique parliamentary initiative which is called "The Transatlantic Parliamentary Group on Counter Terrorism" (TAG) in 2008. Initially aimed to create
4472-687: The EU special envoy to Yugoslavia, Tom Warrick from the Coalition for International Justice described Bildt as "dangerously misinformed about his own job description" and largely ignorant about the region. The New York Times criticized Bildt for a nonchalant attitude towards the Srebrenica genocide when over 8,000 Bosniaks were killed, and described him as being burdened with a reputation for accepting Bosnian Serb claims of good behavior at face value and overlooking evidence of atrocities against civilians. Bildt has been questioned for his role as
4576-616: The European Parliament staff. Among the members are figures such as Carl Bildt , former Swedish Prime Minister and current Foreign Minister, Lech Walesa , Polish president and Nobel Peace Prize , Jacques Santer , former President of Luxembourg and the European Commission and Wilfried Martens , former Belgian Prime Minister and President of the European People's Party . The European Ideas Network aims to: Centre-right politics Centre-right politics
4680-703: The IT consultancy HiQ AB. He was chairman of Nordic Venture Network, which brought Nordic high-tech VC firms together in an informal network. In 2000, Bildt joined the Lundin Group 's board of directors, a company with oil interests in Ethiopia and Sudan – the seven years with the Lundin Group that followed made Bildt a wealthy man. From March to November 2000, Bildt was part of an independent panel – together with Jean Peyrelevade and Lothar Späth – to advise
4784-846: The Middle East", on the grounds that they saw it as comparing Hamas and Netanyahu as equals. In 2012, Bildt said he saw no problem with exporting Swedish weapons to Saudi Arabia . According to Bildt, "Would the situation in the world be better if they had bought French manufactured ones instead?" Bildt called friendly Saudi Arabia as a "family business" and said that he sees Saudi Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud "quite regularly". In 2015, Bildt criticized Sweden's foreign minister Margot Wallström for damaging Saudi-Swedish relations. Wallström tweeted criticism of Saudi Arabia's flogging of Saudi blogger and activist Raif Badawi . Bildt, together with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski ,
4888-399: The Moderate Party in 1999, other than engaging in international issues, Bildt took positions in the private sector and positions with international think tanks . His positions in think tanks included serving as the first non-US member on the Board of Trustees of the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California , and on the Advisory Board of the Centre for European Reform in London. He was
4992-460: The Social Democrats were defeated by a four-party coalition led by Bildt's Moderate Party. Defunct Former On 4 October 1991, Bildt became the first conservative prime minister in Sweden in 61 years, leading a four-party coalition government. The policies of his government aimed at giving Sweden a "new start" in the middle of a rapidly mounting economic crisis caused by a speculation bubble in housing, focusing on privatising and de-regulating
5096-409: The Soviet Union encouraged close alignment with the United States and strong support for combatting dictatorships. The centre-right in this region fragmented at the onset of the 21st century as much of the centre-right shifted away from liberalism to more conservative and nationalist politics with a strong stance against European integration. As Islamism lost support in Turkey, many Islamists moved to
5200-495: The Student Union Building by leftist political forces and co-founded the Borgerliga Studenter – Opposition '68 group which went on to win the Student Union elections in Stockholm for a number of years. He served as chairman of the FMSF Confederation of Swedish Conservative and Liberal Students , a centre-right student organisation, in the early 1970s, and also chaired European Democrat Students, bringing together like-minded centre-right student organisations from across Europe. When
5304-405: The Swedish economy. These reforms were highly controversial at the time, and the government also had to deal with a rapid increase in unemployment as well as public deficits during 1991 and 1992. The period was marked by a severe economic crisis. These problems were reinforced by the economic crisis in other European countries and the crisis within the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992. As
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#17327811539105408-416: The US; the co-secretaries generals are Guillermo Martínez Casañ and Walid Phares . Currently 264 organizations are either directly or indirectly associated with the European Ideas Network. The EIN is the organization in charge of coordinating the joint activities for the entire network. The European Ideas Network engages in a variety of activities including seminars and working breakfasts, most notably in
5512-437: The United States. Economic ideologies associated with the centre-right include neoliberalism and market liberalism . Other ideologies sometimes grouped under the centre-right descriptor include agrarianism and populist nationalism . Centre-right liberal and conservative parties have historically been successful in the Anglosphere , such as those in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and they have made up
5616-429: The annual "Summer University," to achieve and promote its goals in accordance with the principles outlined under its current policy guidelines. The Summer University is a comprehensive annual gathering that brings together over 450 experts and attendants across the European continent and the globe, including: MEPs, ministers, journalists, EIN network members, academics and other experts, speakers, EPP Group staff, as well as
5720-400: The beginning of the 21st century, but by the 2010s these groups had lost influence as the Republican Party shifted from the centre-right to right-wing populism . The centre-right underwent a decline throughout the western world in the late 2010s and early 2020s, led by demographic changes such as increased tertiary education and ethnic diversity as well as the waning influence of religion and
5824-453: The centre-left—this included parties in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. The 2000s also saw an example of a successful populist centre-right party with the ascension of Forza Italia , led by Silvio Berlusconi . During the 2003 invasion of Iraq , centre-right parties in Europe were more likely to send military forces than centre-left parties. This was especially true in Central and Eastern Europe, where memories of
5928-696: The centre-right lacked experience in political organisation, many of the first-generation centre-right movements lost momentum and faded into irrelevance in the years thereafter. Nationalism and populism became the dominant political forces here until the end of the decade. Centre-right liberals in Central and Eastern Europe supported integration with the Western World and acceleration of industrialisation, while conservatives wished to preserve individual national identities and protect Catholic traditions from Western secularism. Post-communist centre-right groups were more inclined toward liberal positions, favouring market capitalist policies over government intervention, which
6032-475: The centre-right secularises, it becomes less likely to support conservative positions on social issues . Centre-right parties that take strong stances on cultural issues are more susceptible to radicalise and adopt far-right positions. While opposition to immigration is most commonly associated with far-right politics , the centre-right can attract support from voters with more moderate anti-immigrant positions. Centre-right opposition to immigration comes from
6136-423: The centre-right supports free markets and the social market economy , with market liberalism and neoliberalism being common centre-right economic positions. It typically seeks to preserve the cultural and socioeconomic status quo and believes that changes should be implemented gradually . The centre-right is derived from the left–right political spectrum of the French Revolution . It first developed as
6240-589: The centre-right until a leftward shift among women took place over the 1970s and 1980s. Eastern and Central Europe were introduced to centre-right politics in the 1990s after the dissolution of the Soviet Union . These movements—which preferred not to be identified as parties due to the term's association with communism—were made up of intellectual groups that had been dissidents during communist rule. The Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland all had strong opposition movements under communism, allowing these movements to form strong centre-right parties. In nations where
6344-447: The centre-right's handling of economic crises reached a crescendo with public demonstrations that relegated the centre-right to a relatively ineffective opposition. Colombia was an exception, where the long-standing centre-right dominance remained unchallenged. Centre-right parties retook power in several Latin American countries by the 2010s, including the National Renewal in Chile and the Republican Proposal in Argentina, as well as
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#17327811539106448-454: The centre-right, forming the new Justice and Development Party . This party was more accepting of secularism and neoliberalism, and it became the nation's dominant political force. Although citizens throughout Latin America most commonly self-identified as centre-right, the region saw a surge of popularity for expanding government programs and state ownership , leading to a leftward shift that began in 1998. In Bolivia, dissatisfaction with
6552-412: The challenge that immigration presents to the status quo and to national identity. Supporters of centre-right politics in Europe often fear that immigration will lead to consequences such as increased crime , abuse of welfare , or acts of terrorism . Centre-right political parties sometimes take stronger positions against multiculturalism to gain an advantage over far-right parties. The centre-right
6656-441: The community, and various organisations are major actors in society. While still supporting a market economy, Christian democrats are more open to state intervention than conservatives, so as to prevent social inequality . Unlike historical Christian political movements, Christian democracy is non-denominational and is not affiliated with the Catholic Church . Political scientists disagree as to whether post-war Christian democracy
6760-447: The conflict and aftermath was castigated as well as celebrated. Bildt opposed any military intervention and criticized the former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1993 for calling NATO to intervene against the Bosnian Serb forces, which led to the Sunday Times describing Bildt and other EU leaders as "robotic political pygmies" and their acceptance of the ongoing genocide as "shameful". Following Bildt's appointment as
6864-434: The construction of the Øresund Bridge , which led to the departure of the leader of the Centre Party Olof Johansson from the government, paving the way for the government to take the decision to approve the construction of the link. Bildt continued to serve as leader of the Moderate party – and thus of the opposition – until 1999, when he was succeeded as party leader by Bo Lundgren . After his term as prime minister, Bildt
6968-540: The creation of a strong Christian democratic movement in Italy, which was a leading political force in various coalitions for over 50 years. The United Kingdom was the only major exception to the spread of Christian democracy, as its old centre-right was seen as triumphant under the wartime leadership of Winston Churchill , and the failure of Nazi Germany to invade meant that its pre-war institutions remained intact. Here conservatism remained dominant, meaning less state intervention relative to other European nations. During
7072-429: The early 20th century. The centre-right was reconfigured after World War II to temper support for nationalism; it became a dominant political position throughout the Western world , particularly with the spread of Christian democracy across Europe. It aligned with the Western bloc during the Cold War, and in Europe it heavily influenced democratic consolidation and European integration . Global economic downturn in
7176-417: The early eighties, he became noted as an incisive and combative debater on foreign affairs. He was a member of the Submarine Defence Commission investigating the 1982 incursions of foreign submarines in the Stockholm archipelago and naval base areas, and often found himself pitted against prime minister Olof Palme . Bildt was elected leader of the Moderate Party in 1986, succeeding Ulf Adelsohn . In 1991 ,
7280-409: The economy in order to improve the conditions for businesses. Long a champion of European integration and Sweden's participation in this, negotiating membership in the European Union was a priority for the Bildt premiership. The preceding Social Democratic government had, as part of an emergency economic crisis package in the autumn of 1990, done a sudden U-turn, abandoned its previous opposition and in
7384-538: The economy to regulate how business may be conducted, but it opposes nationalisation or infringement on the free market . Social market economies allow cooperation between employers and unions, and they provide for basic welfare programs, though centre-right parties that have less appeal among working class voters have less incentive to dedicate themselves to these positions. Centre-right conservatives oppose redistributive policies , believing that individuals should be allowed to retain their wealth. This tends to attract
7488-405: The economy, its incrementalist approach to politics, and its support for the status quo have been attributed to its ability to remain in power for extended periods of time. The centre-right commonly supports a social market economy , rejecting both socialism and laissez-faire capitalism. First developed by Christian democrats in post-war Germany, this system allows the state to intervene in
7592-482: The far-right and far-left politics that had brought about Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, respectively, and they saw European integration as a means to protect against socialism and anti-Christianity. The modern centre-right developed in response as a political unification of several distinct right-wing schools of thought. Ideological diversity meant flexibility in policy positions, but it also caused factionalism across centre-right parties. The centre-right became
7696-411: The first IT Commission in 1994, and in that year also had the first exchange of emails between two heads of government with US President Bill Clinton . In 1992, he had the reform of private schools under contract and the abolition of the school map adopted, reforms that favored the privatization of education. The government's effectiveness was sometimes hampered by in-fighting, most memorably over
7800-612: The following decades. The Indian Bharatiya Janata Party followed the Western centre-right strategy in the 1980s and 1990s, appealing to the centre while maintaining a militarist, nationalist platform. New political parties were formed in Turkey after the 1980 coup d'état , and the Motherland Party , led by businessmen and tradesmen, implemented secular neoliberal policies. In European nations, women were most likely to support
7904-799: The involvement of the Palestinian group Hamas , which remained under international boycott. He responded that the Palestinian Fatah -backed government could deal with Israel, in the same way that it was possible for the Israeli government to make peace with Fatah over the objections of the former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who, similarly to Hamas opposed a two-state deal. Israeli officials issued very strongly worded condemnations of this, describing it as "horrible and stupid" and an example of "chutzpah" and "complete ignorance of
8008-510: The leaders of the three countries as well as with the Russian foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev . His government also had to handle a large increase in refugee flows from primarily the war in Bosnia, defending a liberal approach against the anti-immigration New Democracy party that had entered parliament in 1991. Bildt was an early champion of the Internet and information technologies. He led
8112-495: The middle and working classes. In most countries, centre-right ideologies such as conservatism and Christian democracy are perceived by the public as most capable of managing the economy. Economic downturn often leads to a short-term benefit for centre-right parties before a longer-term benefit for centre-left parties. The centre-right places emphasis on protecting public safety , preserving national security , and maintaining law and order . It supports democratisation around
8216-582: The more wealthy to the ideology. While left-wing politics involves class conflict , centre-right parties forgo this in favour of supporting overall economic growth across classes. Alongside its support for lowering spending, the centre-right supports lower taxes. In some cases, they may advocate private-public partnership or emphasise policies geared toward economic growth—these traits are common in Latin America where centre-right parties differentiate themselves from far-right parties by appealing to
8320-551: The non-socialist formed government in 1976, Bildt served as the head of the Policy Coordinating Office in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and close collaborator to the party leader and Minister of Economy Gösta Bohman . Bildt became a Member of Parliament in 1979, although he served instead as State Secretary for Policy Coordination in the reformed non-socialist government after that election. As an MP in
8424-681: The primary centre-right ideologies in Scandinavia. In contemporary politics, these two ideologies often co-exist in the same party. Christian democracy has been the predominant centre-right ideology in continental Europe, particularly in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. It has performed most successfully in Catholic countries, while Christian democracy in other countries takes on more left-wing positions or fails to gain influence. Christian democratic parties are affiliated with
8528-411: The public from the centre-right to opposition parties across the political spectrum. The weakening of the centre-right corresponded with increased support for the far-right. To align more closely with conservative allies, Christian democratic parties had begun adopting more conservative economic policies by 2013. The American centre-right supported traditionalist conservatism and neoconservatism at
8632-637: The rise of identity politics . At this time, the centre-left came into power and centre-right parties drifted rightward or were supplanted by new far-right parties. Carl Bildt Nils Daniel Carl Bildt (born 15 July 1949) is a Swedish politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994. He led the Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, appearing at its lead candidate in four general elections, before his appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt from 2006 to 2014. Bildt first entered
8736-457: The role of the private sector in providing public services; the crises in farming and food safety; the sustainability of EMU; and defence and security in the post-11 September world. The amount of working groups were increased to ten between 2003 and 2005, and to twelve between 2006 and 2013. The European Ideas Network has been featured in "Global Go Think Tanks Index Report" under "Best Party Affiliated Think Tanks" for 4 consecutive years. Its name
8840-407: The societal status quo , in both a cultural and socioeconomic context, and it is opposed to the radical politics espoused by the far-right. Instead, it displays loss-averse tendencies and leans toward gradualism . Constitutionalism and separation of powers are championed by the centre-right, combining protections for individual liberties with rule of law . The centre-right's handling of
8944-484: The state should intervene in economic and social affairs. Conservatives generally have limited trust in human nature and believe society forms a natural hierarchical structure. Liberalism is individualist and maintains that people are best fit to make decisions for themselves. Christian democrats lean toward personalism , which places value on individuals but adopts collectivist and corporatist elements as well as hierarchy. The centre-right generally seeks to preserve
9048-559: The strongly anti-socialist church by advocating a more tempered approach. Christian democracy likewise presented itself as an alternative to liberalism and socialism. Centre-right figures were involved in early democratisation processes to ensure that their own advantages from the previous status quo were retained. Centre-right liberalism declined with the beginning of the 20th century, and many liberal parties merged with conservative parties. After World War I , several European nations formed weak centre-right parties, which grew through
9152-502: The summer of 1991 submitted a formal application for membership in the EU. Benefiting also from his close links with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl , Bildt was able to initiate and conclude membership negotiations with the EU in record time, signing the Treaty of Accession at the EU summit in Corfu on 23 June 1994. The accession was supported by a referendum in November, and Sweden entered
9256-428: The traditional nuclear family . Such support has not been widely extended to transgender people. Centre-right parties support environmental preservation, though they are often seen as less interested in the subject than left-wing parties. The centre-right rejects concepts of climate grief or catastrophism, arguing that they can reduce interest in solving environmental issues. The concept of centre-right politics
9360-451: The upper class. Christian democracy developed as a new European ideology in the 1870s as a response to the anti-clericalism advocated by liberals. Closely aligned with Catholicism, its ideals were reflected in the Rerum novarum issued by Pope Leo XIII . The European centre-right was a force of moderation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Conservatism stood between socialism and
9464-654: The welfare state. It saw reduced support at this time as the centre-left usurped much of its leverage on economic issues. In Western Europe, this marked the beginning of a broader decline in moderate politics. The 2000s saw a shift back to the right in Europe, where centre-right parties formed coalition governments with far-right parties in countries such as France, Italy, and the Netherlands. The European and American centre-right adopted some nationalist far-right ideas at this time, including positions on immigration and crime. Centre-right parties in other countries shifted leftward with pro-labour policies to remain competitive with
9568-505: The world, and some centre-right groups consider regime change an appropriate means to spread and protect democracy. Taking a strong pro-peace stance can alienate members of a centre-right voting bloc. It is often more reluctant to support peace agreements because these often involve compromising on other centre-right positions such as maintaining a strong ethnic and religious identity. The centre-right leans toward paternalism over individualism and social harmony over societal conflict. It
9672-581: Was a Conservative politician and diplomat, long-time Ambassador to the German Empire and Prime Minister of Sweden 1888–1889, mainly remembered for his protectionist trade policies. Bildt's father Daniel Bildt (1920–2010) was a major in the reserves of the now defunct Halland Regiment and a bureau director in the now defunct Civil Defense Board's Education Bureau. Daniel Bildt married Kerstin Andersson-Alwå in 1947. Carl Bildt's brother, Nils,
9776-688: Was active as a mediator in the Balkans conflict, serving as the European Union Special Envoy to Former Yugoslavia from June 1995, co-chairman of the Dayton Peace Conference that led to the Dayton Peace Accords in November 1995, and High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from December 1995 to June 1997 immediately after the Bosnian War . From 1999 to 2001, he served as the United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for
9880-611: Was associated with communist rule. Anti-communism and anti-totalitarianism were paramount among all factions of the centre-right in these regions, and they condemned the West for treating mass killings under communist regimes differently than the Holocaust . More broadly, the European centre-right became increasingly secular by the 1990s, creating a division between centre-right parties that were more liberal on social issues and religious right parties that maintained conservative positions on social issues. Secularism especially became
9984-472: Was born in 1952. Bildt was married to Kerstin Zetterberg from 1974 to 1975; to Mia Bohman (daughter of former Moderate party leader and Minister of Economy, Gösta Bohman ) from 1984 to 1997; and, since 1998, to Anna Maria Corazza . Bildt has three children; two from his second marriage and one from his third marriage. Bildt attended Stockholm University . In May 1968, Bildt opposed the occupation of
10088-596: Was controversial in central Europe. EU membership of Turkey was hindered by its government not recognizing Cyprus, an EU member along with reservations from the President of France , Nicolas Sarkozy . In November 2014 Bildt was criticised for having written an opinion piece in Dagens industri newspaper where Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was described as being "on the right track" despite the persecution of Kurds and political opponents and jailed journalists in Turkey. After
10192-710: Was first mentioned in the Index in 2010, as it ranked 20th amongst its peers. It consecutively ranked 16th in 2011, 13th in 2012, and lastly 9th in 2013. Today, the think-tanks and foundations work together in joint task forces and working groups on areas of common interest. Recent task-force and working group titles have included: The Ways out of the crisis; Financial Regulation and Financial Market Stability; Social Market Economy; Energy and Environment; Research and Innovation; European Demographic Challenge – Immigration and family policies; Values and Personal Attitudes; European Governance – Facing ongoing political and social challenges in
10296-510: Was heavily influenced by English philosopher John Locke , including his support for property rights and the right to overthrow tyrannical government. Early conservative and liberal parties clashed with one another: conservatives supported monarchy, land-owners, and the church, while liberals supported anti-clericalism, free markets, individualism, and scientific advancement. Due to limitations in suffrage , early centre-right parties were able to maintain sufficient support by appealing solely to
10400-671: Was heavily influenced by the constitutionalism and separation of powers of the United Kingdom and the United States. West Germany reformed its centre-right faction with the creation of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). Formed by a grassroots Christian movement, the CDU played a significant role in forming post-war Germany, combining social Christianity, market liberalism, and national conservatism . Its social market economy model proved to be influential across Europe. Alcide De Gasperi similarly brought about
10504-544: Was one of the main architects of the 2013 Eastern policy of the EU . During Euromaidan , Carl Bildt has been criticized in Swedish media for ignoring and downplaying the issues with the Ukrainian Svoboda party. Johan Croneman at Dagens Nyheter has also condemned Bildt for pushing Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt to rephrase himself after having expressed understanding of the Russians' concerns about
10608-478: Was seen by many as a surprising move. Not only had Bildt already served both as prime minister and as leader of the Moderate Party, but he and Reinfeldt had previous antipathy. He retained this post following the 2010 general election . During his time in office, Bildt was widely credited with steering efforts to set up the EU's Eastern Partnership in 2008. When Sweden held the rotating presidency of
10712-510: Was steadier in more established ones. To regain support, the European centre-right shifted toward the centre and moved away from neoliberalism, replacing it with a renewed focus on public safety, economic growth, and social issues. It saw further trouble later in the decade with the European debt crisis causing governments to enact controversial austerity policies, particularly through spending cuts and value-added taxes . These further pushed
10816-505: Was still at levels higher than in 1991. Prior to becoming prime minister, Bildt had been severely anti- Soviet Union and a strong supporter of the three Baltic nations, and during his period as PM devoted considerable efforts to trying to assist the three newly-independent Baltic states in handling their immediate challenges in the form of the withdrawal of ex-Soviet forces and strategic installations, as well as deciding on sensitive issues of citizenship. In this he worked closely together with
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