"Outside the US there is no equivalent to the Republican Party". This is not true, in canada there has been a long tradition of american style conservative parties. In Mexico, the PAN is similar to the republican party in its belief in small government, and rule of man under god. Australia also has a conservative party. Britain it was Marget thatcher.
And that Canadian party has what exactly power in shaping the political landscape?
PAN carries exactly what weight?
I see your point, but staying in the EU, then I believe that the article is spot on.
And England is not yet EU, is it?
That would be a dark day...
Actually, PAN is a good example of what I am talking about. PAN is, as you say, Mexico's conservative party, and it is conservative in the traditionalist meaning of the word. They tend to be pro-business, relatively speaking, and they tend to be more openly Catholic. But ideologically they are all over the map. They began as a Catholic rebellion against what was originally a pretty leftist PRI party, back in thirties. Of course, PRI is not nearly so ideological now, it is more a machine than a party. And PAN has positioned itself to oppose whatever PRI is doing, more socialist than PRI at times (and sometimes less), usually always more pro-private-business than PRI and always more pro-Church than PRI.
But they accept the presumptions of centralized power, and so would be quite at home inside the tradional US Democratic party.
American conservatism of the Jeffersonian "classic liberal" type: limited government, rule of law, individual liberty, is not generally accepted outside the US. You will find people who admire the notions, but they will always tell you "it won't work here".
Culturally, I would say that an American Republican is more attuned to a PANista than any other, I would agree with you there.