1976 Liberal Party (UK) leadership election the only time it was ever used to elect a Liberal leader. The election was won by David Steel, who served as leader of the Liberal Party until merger with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1988, forming the Liberal Democrats. David Steel later served as interim leader of the Liberal Democrats (jointly with Bob Maclennan of the SDP) for the duration of the 1988 leadership election which eventually elected Paddy Ashdown as the new party's first permanent leader. 1976 Liberal Party (UK) leadership election The 1976 Liberal Party (UK) leadership election was called following the resignation of Jeremy Thorpe
Liberal Party (Moldova) the "Liberal Women's Organisation" was held. The party also formed a youth wing the "Young Liberals". The party has joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) as an observer member. In February 2013 the party suffered an internal split. On 12 April 2013 the Liberal Party Reform Council was launched, with Ion Hadârcă as leader. The members of this Council were called "Liberal Reformers" by the media. The internal split became permanent when a separate Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) joined the Pro-European Coalition, formed after the dissolution of the Alliance for European Integration, remaining on in the