Several MEPs of the ‘Democratici’ were members of ALDE in the previous mandate and had the opportunity to stay there if they so wished, although I understand their Party decided for them.

Hannu Takkula has since had a change of heart and is remaining in the ALDE group with the rest of the Finnish Centre Party

The Italian Democrats did not leave ALDE as the party was never in it. The Italian parties recently merged into one broad centre-right party (Berlusconi’s “People of Freedom”) and one broad centre-left “Democratic Party”. Until the 2009 election Italian Democrat MEPs stayed in the ALDE group they had joined when they were elected for their old party. After the elections the merged party picked a group and, because the majority of its members were from the Social Democratic rather than Liberal tradition, they went with the PES.

I can’t comment on your views on the Centre Party. They were and still are in ELDR and ALDE. They are thus ‘Liberal-linked’ which is what I put in my piece.

Widely regarded by whom? He was one of the most conservative MEPs from Finland from the beginning, being a member of an ultra-orthodox grouping within the Lutheran state church, like so many other members of his party. The Centre Party only gained the membership of international liberal organisations, because the tiny Finnish liberal party was its member organisation for few years in the beginning of the eighties due a financial bankruptcy. Ideologically the Centre party would have suited better an international conservative organisation, but couldn’t enter the IDU, because the status of the Finnish member party was already occupied by another Finnish party.