Liberal Democrats (UK)

In the United Kingdom, the Liberal Democrats are a political party, led by Nick Clegg. Commonly called the "Libdems", they are the result of a 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party, and the Social Democratic Party, with the new party originally called the Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD). It adopted the current name in October 1989.

Among the mainstream parties, they are generally center-left; as the Labour Party (U.K.) has become more centrist, the Libdems become more left.

They describe themselves as existing "to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full. We aim to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity. We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives."

International activities
For international democracy promotion in emerging countries, the party cooperates with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).