liberalleaning

Liberalleaning is a political orientation that describes individuals or positions that favor civil liberties, individual rights, and progressive social policies. In practice it is not a formal ideology, but a relative stance: people with liberal leanings typically advocate for government action to address social and economic inequalities, while protecting civil liberties and minority rights.

Regional usage varies: in the United States, liberal commonly denotes center-left positions favoring social equality and constitutional rights; in many European societies, liberal denotes classical liberalism emphasizing free markets and limited government, with "social liberal" or "liberal left" describing more expansive welfare and rights agendas.

Core policy areas often associated with liberalleaning include protection of civil and voting rights, gender and racial equality, LGBTQ rights, secular governance, environmental protection, and support for a social safety net, public health, and education. Support for multilateral diplomacy and climate action is common.

Political measurement: surveys and party platforms use liberal-leaning descriptors; liberalleaning can intersect with progressivism, social liberalism, or left-libertarianism, depending on emphasis on markets versus government intervention.

Critiques: detractors may argue liberal leaning tolerates dilution of national sovereignty, or that it overemphasizes identity politics; others contend that balancing liberty with security and economic competitiveness is a persistent challenge.