The Group of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (, ELDR) was a liberal political group of the European Parliament between 1976 and 2004. The group comprised the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and its constituent national-level parties, variously of liberal, centrist and agrarian orientation.
Its predecessors have existed since 23 June 1953, then under the name of Liberals and Allies Group. In 1976, the name was changed to Liberal and Democratic Group (LD), and on 13 December 1985 to Liberal and Democratic Reformist Group (LDR). The addition of "Reformist" was a concession to the Social Democratic Party of Portugal, which did not identify as a liberal party.
The ELDR group partnered with the European People's Party – European Democrats (EPP-ED) to form the majority-forming coalition for the 5th Parliament, during which time it elected its sole President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox during the second half of the term.
Following the 2004 European elections the ELDR was expanded and renamed the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group.
Chairmen 1979–1984: Martin Bangemann, Germany (FDP) 1984–1989: Simone Veil, France (UDF) 1989–1991: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, France (UDF-PR) 1992–1994: Yves Galland, France (UDF-Rad) 1994–1998: Gijs de Vries, Netherlands (VVD) 1998–2002: Pat Cox, Ireland (independent) 2001–2004: Graham Watson, United Kingdom (LibDem)
Presidents of the European Parliament from the Liberal Groups 1962–1964: Gaetano Martino, Italy (PLI) 1973–1975: Cornelis Berkhouwer, Netherlands (VVD) 1979–1982: Simone Veil, France (UDF) 2002–2004: Pat Cox, Ireland (independent)
Represented parties Country National Party years Party for Freedom and Progress 1979–1992 Liberal Reformist Party 1979–2002 Flemish Liberals and Democrats 1992–2004 Democratic Front of the Francophones 1994–1999 Reformist Movement 2002–2004 Union for French Democracy 1979–1994 National Centre of Independents and Peasants 1989–1992 Free Democratic Party 1979–1984; 1989–1999 Italian Liberal Party 1979–1989 Italian Republican Party 1979–2001 Lega Nord 1994–1997 The Democrats 1999–2002 European Republicans Movement 2001–2004 Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy 2002–2004 Democratic Party 1979–2004 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 1979–2004 Democrats 66 1989–2004 Venstre – Liberal Party 1979–2004 Danish Social Liberal Party 1994–2004 Progressive Democrats 1989–1994 Independents 1979–2004 Liberal Democrats 1994–2004 Social Democratic Party 1987–1996 Democratic and Social Centre 1987–1994 Democratic Convergence of Catalonia 1987–2004 Canarian Coalition 1999–2004 Liberal People's Party 1995–2004 Centre Party 1995–2004 Centre Party 1996–2004 Swedish People's Party 1996–2004
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