My (weak) understanding is that outside the US, Liberal is a (mostly) economic position - specifically one supportive of capitalism, which both major parties in the US are. (With slight policy differences.)
As a European: this precisely. There are slight variations in terminology: liberalism, libertarian, neoliberal… but nobody reads that as “left”. The “liberty” hinted at is always that of the market.
In my country the liberals are about both economic and social liberty. They want both gay and heterosexual people to have the freedom to pay for healthcare and education, which currently are free. The conservatives want at least healthcare and potentially education to remain free, but also want only white cishet people to exist. Socdems luckily exist to balance out the idiots.
As a European: this precisely. There are slight variations in terminology: liberalism, libertarian, neoliberal… but nobody reads that as “left”. The “liberty” hinted at is always that of the market.
In my country the liberals are about both economic and social liberty. They want both gay and heterosexual people to have the freedom to pay for healthcare and education, which currently are free. The conservatives want at least healthcare and potentially education to remain free, but also want only white cishet people to exist. Socdems luckily exist to balance out the idiots.