The European Christian Political Movement (ECPM) gathered as a general assembly of members in Rambouillet, France on 16 June 2023, chaired by President Valeriu Ghilețchi. There were 60 participants from over 20 parties present. During the meeting, members voted on appointing Cristian Terheș (Romania) and Jean-Frederic Poisson (France) to the board and welcomed three new member parties: Valores from Spain, Suverena Vara from Latvia and Abba party from Malta.

Abba party from Malta, founded by Ivan Grech Mintoff, positions itself as a political entity looking to truly represent the citizens and the values the Maltese cherish. They feel the current administration follows blindly an ideological direction from Brussels, which does not reflect the Maltese values and history and does not benefit its society. Abba’s declared purpose is to actively promote Christian-democratic values in Malta and to protect the country’s culture and identity. Mr. Mintoff was accompanied to the ECPM GA by a few members of the party’s executive team.

Suverena Vara (Sovereign Power) is a new political party in Latvia led by Julija Stepanenko, lawyer and former member of Parliament. Their goal is strengthening Latvian democracy by returning the power to the citizens of Latvia, as stipulated in the second article of the Latvian constitution. The party advocates for family-friendly policies, like a guaranteed state allowance for parents who choose to stay at home with their children and an increase in child benefits to a quarter of the minimum wage. Ms. Stepanenko and her party is firmly against mandatory vaccination and against gender ideology being taught in schools. The party proposes a reduction of the VAT on food and a revival of rural areas and investments in rural schools.

Valores party from Spain has its headquarters in Murcia region and has recently (28 May) participated for the first time in the regional and local elections in Spain. Alfonso Galdon is its president; he holds a Ph.D. in environmental sciences and teaches math and science in the local high school. The party is a strong advocate for Christian values in the Murcia region and beyond: they propose a higher budget allocated for defending life from conception to natural death, for supporting pregnant mothers and minors at risk. They are fighting for the elderly in their community to be treated with dignity and to have a decent living. Valores, under the leadership of Galdon, is passionate about protecting the environment, Murcia’s waters and soil in particular, while empowering the farmers in the region to continue producing the food the citizens need in a sustainable way.

We were delighted to have with us a few guests and observers who are interested in ECPM's work and are considering joining us.

Members discussed strategy and communication for the upcoming European elections next year, as well as the content of the future manifesto/ political program. We decided to continue these talks in an upcoming working retreat and to refine the ideas we wish to present to citizens in June 2024. The members present also received and reviewed the financial report of last year.

We thank Mr. Poisson and his party- VIA, La Voie du Peuple- for graciously hosting the ECPM and the delegations in Rambouillet, a city with historic significance, for the visits arranged to the castle, and for creating the opportunity to connect and socialize with each other in a beautiful setting.