Christian Democrat International

The Centrist Democrat International is Christian Democrat political international. Until 2001 it was known as the Christian Democrat International (CDI) and before that the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International (until 1999) (this earlier name is, since October 2000, still sometimes used colloquially). It was formed in 1961 in Santiago, Chile as the Christian Democrat World Union, building on the legacy of other Christian Democrat internationals who tried to create a Christian-inspired third way alternative to the socialist internationals; in 1982 it was renamed for the first time Christian Democrat International. The name officially changed due to the participation of groups of various faiths. It is the global international political group dedicated to the promotion of Christian democracy. Although it gathers parties from around the globe, its members are drawn principally from Europe and Latin America. Some of them are also members of the International Democrat Union (IDU), although the CDI is closer to the political centre and more communitarian than the IDU.

The CDI's European wing is the European People's Party, currently the largest European political party. Its Latin American equivalent is the Christian Democrat Organization of America. The Democratic Party of the United States of America maintains links with CDI through the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. A youth organisation of the CDI is currently being established under the name of Youth of the Centrist Democrat International (YCDI).

Member-parties of the CDI today also tend to be members of either the ODCA or the European People's Party (EPP; successor to NEI), although it is not required. Conversely, there may also be member-parties of either the ODCA and the EPP that are not member-parties of the CDI. The CDI also maintains a relationship with the United States through the National Democratic Institute.