How to Join or Get Involved with Liberal International

Updated

Liberal International (LI) is the world federation of liberal and progressive democratic political parties, think tanks and NGOs, with members spanning five continents. If you want to join or get involved, the site sets out several distinct routes: becoming a member (as a party, co-op organisation, think tank or individual), signing up to the newsletter, applying for an internship, or taking part in LI events such as the Congress, Executive Committee meetings and parliamentarians' meetings. The right route depends on whether you are an organisation or an individual, and on whether you want formal membership or lighter-touch participation.

Who can join

LI describes itself as a federation of liberal political parties, think tanks and NGOs, and its membership structure reflects that. The "Become a member" section of the site lists these categories:

Category Who it is for
Political parties Liberal and progressive democratic parties
Co-op Organisations Organisations cooperating with LI
Think Tanks Liberal think tanks
Individual Members Individuals who want to join in their own right

Members are grouped by region on the site: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & N. Africa, North America, and Worldwide.

How to apply to become a member

  1. Go to the "Become a member" section of liberal-international.org.
  2. Identify the category that fits you or your organisation — political party, co-op organisation, think tank, or individual member.
  3. Follow the application route given for that category.
  4. If you are unsure which category applies, use the "Contact" page to ask before applying.

The site does not publish a full list of eligibility criteria or an application deadline on the pages reviewed, so if your situation is borderline — for example, an organisation that is neither a party nor a formal think tank — contact LI directly rather than assuming you qualify.

Other ways to get involved

Formal membership is not the only option. The site also lists:

  • Newsletter — sign up to LI's quarterly newsletter for updates.
  • Internships — Internship Opportunities are listed under "Get Involved".
  • Events — LI runs a Calendar of Events including Congress Meetings, Executive Committee Meetings, LI HRC Parliamentarians' Meetings, and the Isaiah Berlin Lecture Series.
  • Congress 2026 — details are published on the site under "LI Congress 2026".
  • Awards and prizes — LI administers the Prize for Freedom, the Hans van Baalen Medal of Liberalism, and the Climate Justice Award.
  • Policy work — Resolutions and policy documents are published across Congress Resolutions, Executive Committee Resolutions and Policy Documents, and there are committees for Human Rights, Climate Justice and Fair Trade.

Contact and application entry points

The two main entry points on the site are:

  • Become a member — for membership applications across the categories above.
  • Contact — for questions, including which category fits your organisation.

LI also maintains a presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads, which can be useful for following announcements such as the opening of LI DTA Applications for 26/27.

What to check before you apply

  • Category fit. Decide first whether you are applying as a party, co-op organisation, think tank or individual — the routes differ.
  • Regional listing. Members are listed by region, so check which regional grouping your organisation would fall under.
  • Current openings. Some opportunities are time-limited; the site noted "LI DTA Applications Open 26/27" and "LI Congress 2026", so check the latest news and events pages for what is currently open.
  • No published fee information. The pages reviewed do not state membership fees or payment terms, so do not assume membership is free — confirm with LI directly.