__NOTOC__ Christian democratic parties are

political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...

that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying

Christian democracy Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo-scholasticism, as well ...

movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of

Catholic social teaching Catholic social teaching (CST) is an area of Catholic doctrine which is concerned with human dignity and the common good in society. It addresses oppression, the role of the state, subsidiarity, social organization, social justice, and w ...

and Neo-Calvinist theology. Christian democracy continues to be influential in Europe and Latin America, though in a number of countries its Christian ethos has been diluted by

secularisation In sociology, secularization () is a multilayered concept that generally denotes "a transition from a religious to a more worldly level." There are many types of secularization and most do not lead to atheism or irreligion, nor are they automatica ...

. In practice, Christian democracy is often considered

centre-right Centre-right politics is the set of right-wing politics, right-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. It is commonly associated with conservatism, Christian democracy, liberal conservatism, and conservative liberalis ...

cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

and moral issues, but

centre-left Centre-left politics is the range of left-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. Ideologies commonly associated with it include social democracy, social liberalism, progressivism, and green politics. Ideas commo ...

"with respect to economic and labor issues, civil rights, and foreign policy" as well as the environment, generally supporting a

social market economy The social market economy (SOME; ), also called Rhine capitalism, Rhine-Alpine capitalism, the Rhenish model, and social capitalism, is a socioeconomic model combining a free-market capitalist economic system with social policies and enough re ...

. Christian democracy can be seen as either conservative, centrist, or liberal / left of, right of, or center of the mainstream political parties depending on the social and political atmosphere of a given country and the positions held by individual Christian democratic parties. In Europe, where their opponents have traditionally been secularist socialists, Christian democratic parties are moderately

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

overall, whereas in the very different cultural and political environment of Latin America they tend to lean to the left. It is the dominant

political movement in Europe, but by contrast, Christian democratic parties in Latin America tend to be left-leaning. Christian democracy includes elements common to several other political ideologies, including

conservatism Conservatism is a Philosophy of culture, cultural, Social philosophy, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, Convention (norm), customs, and Value (ethics and social science ...

liberalism Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...

, and

social democracy Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...

. In the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, Christian democratic parties of Europe and Latin America, deemed conservative and liberal respectively in their geopolitical regions, are both generally regarded as farther

left-wing Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social ...

of the mainstream.

Alphabetical list by country

A

; * Albanian Christian Democratic Movement *

Christian Democratic Party of Albania The Christian Democratic Party of Albania (, PKD) is a small Christian democracy, Christian democratic List of political parties in Albania, political party in Albania. History The party was established on 26 March 2013.

; * Christian Democratic Party ; * Christian-Democratic Rebirth Party * Christian Democratic Union of Armenia * National Christian Party ; *

Aruban People's Party The Aruban People's Party (AVP; , ) is a Christian-democratic political party in Aruba founded in 1942. AVP is an acronym for the Dutch name of the party. At the 2001 elections in Aruba, elections, on 28 September 2001, the party won 26.7% of po ...

; * Christian Democratic Party * Democratic Labour Party ; *

Austrian People's Party The Austrian People's Party ( , ÖVP ) is a Christian-democratic and liberal-conservative political party in Austria. Since January 2025, the party has been led by Christian Stocker (as an acting leader). It is currently the second-largest p ...

B

; * People's Party for Democracy and Development ; * Belarusian Christian Democracy *

BPF Party The BPF Party (; ) is a banned political party in Belarus. It was ''de facto'' established after the split of the social movement Belarusian Popular Front ( abbr. BPF; , ) in 1999. The Belarusian Popular Front was founded during the Perestroika ...

; *

Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish (, ; CD&V) is a Flemish Christian-democratic political party in Belgium. The party has historical ties to both trade unionism ( ACV) and trade associations ( UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party w ...

* Christian Social Party * ProDG *

Citizens' Movement for Change Citizens' Movement for Change (, , MCC) is a Christian-democratic political party in the French Community of Belgium founded by Gérard Deprez in 1998. Deprez was the leader of the Francophone Christian Social Party (PSC) from 1982 to 1995. He l ...

; * Christian Democratic Party ; *

Croatian Democratic Union 1990 The Croatian Democratic Union 1990 (, abbreviated HDZ 1990) is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It split from the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is led by Ilija Cvitanović. In 2006, it was the lea ...

Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (, HDZ BiH) is a Christian democracy, Christian democratic Croatian nationalism, Croatian nationalist List of political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, political party in Bosnia and He ...

* Croatian Christian Democrats ; *

Christian Democracy Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo-scholasticism, as well ...

; * Union of Democratic Forces * Christ Democratic Party of Bulgaria * Reformist Bloc ; * Christian Democratic Party

C

; *

Christian Heritage Party of Canada The Christian Heritage Party of Canada (), also known as CHP Canada, is a Canadian federal political party that is part of the Christian right. Founded in 1987, it was the brainchild of two couples in British Columbia, namely Bill and Heathe ...

; * Movement for Democracy *União Caboverdeana Independente e Democratica (Cape Verdean Union for an Independent Democracy) – UCID ; * Christian Democratic Party ; * Christian National Party * Christians for Community * Christian Social Democratic Party ; * Christian Democratic Party * Reform Party * Social Christian Unity Party * Social Christian Republican Party * Christian Democratic Alliance ; * Croatian Democratic Union * Homeland Movement * Croatian Christian Democratic Party * Croatian Sovereignists ; * Christian Democratic Party of Cuba * Christian Liberation Movement ; * National People's Party ; * Democratic Rally ; *

KDU-ČSL KDU-ČSL (In Czech language, Czech, the initials of the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party; ), often shortened to ("the populars"), is a Christian democracy, Christian democratic list of political parties in the Czec ...

D

; * Christian Democratic Party (Democratic Republic of the Congo) * Convention of Christian Democrats *

Democratic Social Christian Party The Democratic Social Christian Party () is a political party in Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is headed by former Mobutu Sese Seko, Mobutu-era prime minister André Bo-Boliko Lokonga, and was co-founded by Lokonga and Joseph Ileo in 19 ...

* Federalist Christian Democracy – Convention of Federalists for Christian Democracy * Movement for the Liberation of the Congo ; * Christian Democrats ; * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Party * Social Christian Reformist Party

E

; * Christian Democratic Party (Ecuador) * Social Christian Party ; * Christian Democratic Party (Egypt), a Coptic party in Egypt founded in the 1950s. ; * Christian Democratic Party ; *

Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Isamaa () is a Christian democratic and national conservative political party in Estonia. It was founded on 4 June 2006 under the name of "Pro Patria and Res Publica Union", by the merger of two conservative parties, Pro Patria Union and Res ...

* Party of Estonian Christian Democrats ; * European Christian Political Party *

European People's Party The European People's Party (EPP) is a European political party with Christian democracy, Christian democratic, liberal conservatism, liberal-conservative, and conservative member parties. A transnational organisation, it is composed of other p ...

F

; * Centre Party ; * Christian Democrats ; * The Republicans * Christian Democratic Party

G

; * Christian-Democratic Movement * Alliance of Patriots of Georgia ; *

Christian Democratic Union of Germany The Christian Democratic Union of Germany ( , CDU ) is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is the major party of the centre-right in German politics. Friedrich Merz has been federal chairman of the CDU since 31 ...

Christian Social Union in Bavaria The Christian Social Union in Bavaria ( German: , CSU) is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. Having a regionalist identity, the CSU operates only in Bavaria while its larger counterpart, the Christian Democra ...

* Centre Party * Family Party of Germany * Alliance C – Christians for Germany ; * New Gibraltar Democracy ; * Christian Democratic Party of the Overthrow * New Democracy

H

; * Christian Democratic Party of Honduras ; * Christian Democratic People's Party

I

; *

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

; * Chaldean Democratic Party ; * Forza Italia * Popular Alternative * Populars for Italy * Solidary Democracy *

South Tyrolean People's Party The South Tyrolean People's Party (, SVP) is a regionalism (politics), regionalist and mostly Christian democracy, Christian-democratic list of political parties in South Tyrol, political party in South Tyrol, an Autonomous administrative divisio ...

* Union of the Centre * Us Moderates

K

; * Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo

L

; * Fatherland Union ; * Lithuanian Christian Democracy Party * Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats * Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania * Christian Union * National Alliance ; * Kataeb Party *

Lebanese Forces The Lebanese Forces ( ') is a Lebanon, Lebanese Christianity in Lebanon, Christian-based political party and Lebanese Forces (militia), former militia during the Lebanese Civil War. It currently holds 19 of the 128 seats in Lebanon's Parliamen ...

; * Christian Social People's Party

M

; * Nationalist Party ; * National Action Party ; * Christian-Democratic People's Party

N

; * Alliance *

Christian Democratic Appeal The Christian Democratic Appeal ( , CDA) is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in the Netherlands. Formed as a federation in 1975 by the Catholic People's Party, the Anti-Revolutionary Party, and the Christian Historical ...

* Christian Union * Farmer–Citizen Movement * New Social Contract * Jezus Leeft ; * Social Christian Party ; * VMRO–DPMNE * VMRO – People's Party ; * Christian People's Party

P

; * People's Party ; * Christian Democratic Party ; * Christian Democratic Party ; * Christian People's Party * Christian Democracy (DC) ; * Lakas–CMD (Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats) * Bangon Pilipinas Party * Centrist Democratic Party of the Philippines *

Liberal Party (Philippines) The Liberal Party of the Philippines (, LP) is a liberal political party in the Philippines. Founded on January 19, 1946 by Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, and José Avelino from the breakaway liberal wing of the old Nacionalista, the Libera ...

(factions) ; * Agreement * Christian Democracy of the 3rd Polish Republic *

Civic Platform The Civic Platform (, PO)The party is officially the Civic Platform of the Republic of Poland (''Platforma Obywatelska Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''). is a Centre-right politics, centre-right liberal conservative political party in Poland. Since ...

Law and Justice Law and Justice ( , PiS) is a Right-wing populism, right-wing populist and National conservatism, national-conservative List of political parties in Poland, political party in Poland. The party is a member of European Conservatives and Refo ...

Polish People's Party The Polish People's Party (, PSL) is a conservative political party in Poland. It is currently led by Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Its history traces back to 1895, when it held the name People's Party, although its name was changed to the pre ...

; * Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party

R

; * Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party * National Liberal Party * Force of the Right *

People's Movement Party The People's Movement Party (, PMP) is an extra-parliamentary national-conservative and social conservative political party in Romania. History The PMP was created as a political foundation in March 2013 by supporters of then incumbent sta ...

; * Christian Democratic Party of Russia ; * Christian Democratic Party

S

; * United Workers Party ; * Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party * Union for the Republic ; * Christian Democratic Front ; * Christian Democratic Party of Serbia * Democratic Party of Serbia * St. Maarten Christian Party ; * Christian Democratic Movement ; * New Slovenia – Christian Democrats * Slovenian People's Party ; *

African Christian Democratic Party The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) is a South African political party founded in 1993. It is a conservative Christian Christian party based on Biblical principles. The leader of the party is Kenneth Meshoe. Following the 2016 municipa ...

* Christian Democratic Party * United Christian Democratic Party ; * People's Party *

Basque Nationalist Party The Basque Nationalist Party ( , EAJ; , PNV; , PNB; EAJ-PNV), officially the Basque National Party in English, is a Basque nationalist and regionalist political party. The party is located in the centre of the political spectrum. It has been de ...

* Democrats of Catalonia ; * Christian Democrats ; * Christian Social Party of Obwalden * Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland

T

; * Christian Democratic Party *

Christian Democratic Union of Timor The Christian Democratic Union of Timor (''União Democrata-Crista de Timor'') UDC was a centre-right, Christian democratic political party in East Timor. History On 14 March 1998, it split from the União Democrática Timorense (UDT) in Portuga ...

U

; * Batkivshchyna * European Solidarity ; *

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

Christian Peoples Alliance The Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) is a minor Christian right political party in the United Kingdom. The party was founded in its present form in 1999, having grown out of a cross-party advocacy group called the Movement for Christian Democrac ...

Freston, ''Protestant Political Parties'', 53. ; *

American Solidarity Party The American Solidarity Party (ASP) is an United States, American Christian democracy, Christian democratic List of political parties in the United States, political party. It was founded in 2011 and officially incorporated in 2016. The party ...

Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party (PRO) is a Political parties in the United States, political party in the United States known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages and as an integral part of the temperance movemen ...

; * National Party * Christian Democratic Party of Uruguay

V

; * Project Venezuela * Political Electoral Independent Organization Committee (COPEI) * National Convergence

Other entities

* Global –

Centrist Democrat International The Centrist Democrat International (CDI; , IDC) is a political international inspired by the values of Christian democracy. Until 2001, it was known as the Christian Democrat International (CDI); before 1999, it was known as the Christian Demo ...

headquartered in

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

* European Union –

Centrist Democratic regional in Europe; and the largest group in European Parliament
European Christian Political Party * Americas – Christian Democrat Organization of AmericaCentrist Democratic regional in the Americas, North and South

Related philosophies

* Communitarianism *

Distributism Distributism is an economic theory asserting that the world's productive assets should be widely owned rather than concentrated. Developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, distributism was based upon Catholic social teaching princi ...

* Neo-Calvinism *

Social conservatism Social conservatism is a political philosophy and a variety of conservatism which places emphasis on Tradition#In political and religious discourse, traditional social structures over Cultural pluralism, social pluralism. Social conservatives ...

Social market economy The social market economy (SOME; ), also called Rhine capitalism, Rhine-Alpine capitalism, the Rhenish model, and social capitalism, is a socioeconomic model combining a free-market capitalist economic system with social policies and enough re ...

Political Catholicism The Catholic Church and politics concerns the interplay of Catholicism with religious, and later secular, politics. The Catholic Church's views and teachings have evolved over its history and have at times been significant political influences ...

* Christian politics * Christian Zionism *

Liberal conservatism Liberal conservatism is a political ideology combining conservative policies with liberal stances, especially on economic issues but also on social and ethical matters, representing a brand of political conservatism strongly influenced by libe ...

Abolitionism Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was France in 1315, but it was later used in its colonies. ...

* New World Order

Indices

* List of generic names of political parties * List of political parties by country

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christian democratic parties Christian democrat