history

The first international gathering of Catholic-Christian democratic parties takes place in Paris and they establish the Secrétariat International des Partis Démocratiques d’Inspiration Chrétienne (SIPDIC).[8] Member parties were from Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Spain, Portugal and Lithuania.

World War II suspends the operations of the SIPDIC.

Political leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay meet in Montevideo, in order to create an international organization of Christian democratic parties. Representatives from Bolivia and Peru participate via diplomatic correspondence. The Declaration of Montevideo established the Organización Demócrata Cristiana de América (ODCA), although the name was not formalized until their second meeting in July 1949.

European Christian Democrats formed the Nouvelles Équipes Internationales (NEI) in Chaudfontaine, Belgium, prompted by the suggestion of the Swiss a year prior to restart the SIPDIC. The NEI was open to non-Catholic parties as long as they ascribed to the principles of social democracy. They saw European integration as the best way to prevent the spread of communism into western Europe and thus encouraged exile groups from Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia to attend. The NEI also played a significant role in preparations for the Hague Congress and the eventual establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community.

The Christian Democratic Union of Central Europe (CDUCE) is formed in New York City to assist Christian democratic parties in exile by organizing forces in opposition to communism according to a constitutional charter. By 1955, it had begun working with underground operatives in the Soviet bloc while simultaneously trying to coordinate efforts between European and Latin American Christian democratic parties.

The ODCA, NEI, and CDUCE meet for the first time in Paris at a gathering consisting of 33 delegations from 28 countries to discuss the creation of a global Christian democratic organization.

The three regional Christian democratic organizations establish the Christian Democratic International Information and Documentation Centre (CDI-IDC) in Rome in order to provide political analyses for Christian democratic parties around the world.

The World Union of Christian Democrats (WUCD) is established in Santiago.

The WUCD changes its name to the Christian Democrat International (CDI).

The CDI changes its name to the Centrist Democrat International due to an increasing membership of non-Christian political parties. Since October 2000, some have also informally referred to the CDI as the Christian Democrat and People’s Parties International.