Youth of the European People's Party
The pan-European youth organisation affiliated with the European People's Party.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Youth of the European People's Party, commonly known as YEPP, is the youth organisation associated with the European People's Party, the centre-right political family represented at European level. It brings together youth movements linked to Christian democratic, conservative, liberal-conservative and broadly centre-right parties across Europe. The organisation describes itself as a platform for political cooperation, policy development, leadership formation and civic engagement among younger members of the European People's Party family. YEPP was established in 1997, with Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden as its founding president. Reinfeldt later became Sweden's prime minister, illustrating the organisation's role as a training and networking environment for politicians who subsequently move into national and European public life. Since its creation, YEPP has operated as a federation rather than as a conventional commercial brand or political party. Its constituent members are national and regional youth organisations, and its leadership is elected for fixed two-year terms. The organisation's membership has extended across European Union member states, candidate countries and other European states. The member network has included youth organisations connected with parties in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as organisations in the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus and neighbouring European countries. Reference material describes YEPP as bringing together 64 organisations from 40 countries, although membership figures can change as national organisations join, leave or change status. YEPP's work is political and organisational rather than commercial. It provides a forum for exchanges between national youth movements, adopts policy resolutions, participates in European political discussions and promotes cooperation with institutions and civil-society networks. It holds full membership in the European Youth Forum and is also a full member of the Union of the Robert Schuman Institute for Developing Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. These affiliations place YEPP within the broader European youth-policy and democratic-development ecosystem. The organisation's public identity is based on European integration, democratic participation, political pluralism and the centre-right traditions represented by its parent party. Its activities may include congresses, seminars, study visits, election-related political campaigns and joint statements. YEPP does not manufacture products, sell consumer services or publish public-company financial information. Its principal offering is an organisational network through which affiliated youth movements can coordinate positions and develop future political leaders. YEPP remains active under a rotating elected board. Sophia Kircher of Austria became president for the 2025–2027 term, succeeding Lídia Pereira of Portugal, who led the organisation from 2018 to 2025. Because national member organisations and board compositions can change, current institutional information should be checked against YEPP's official website and the latest board announcement.
History
YEPP was founded in 1997 as a European-level coordination body for young people associated with the European People's Party and its national member parties. Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden served as its first president. The organisation emerged during a period in which European party families were strengthening their transnational structures and seeking to involve younger activists in the development of policy, election campaigns and democratic institutions. From the beginning, YEPP was designed as a federation of autonomous youth organisations. Its members retained their national identities and organisational independence while using YEPP to exchange ideas, coordinate political positions and create contacts across borders. The board structure was based on elections for two-year terms, providing a regular mechanism for renewal and representation among the member associations. Presidents and officers have come from a wide range of European countries, including Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Greece, France, Hungary, Romania and Portugal. During the 2000s and 2010s, YEPP expanded its network beyond the original core of EU-based Christian democratic and conservative youth movements. Its membership and partner relationships came to include organisations from Central and Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus and other parts of the wider European political space. This geographic breadth reflected the European People's Party's wider role and gave YEPP a platform for discussing democratic transition, enlargement, security, economic opportunity and the future of European integration. YEPP also developed institutional links outside the EPP structure. It became a full member of the European Youth Forum, a platform operating in the European Union and Council of Europe spheres. It is additionally affiliated as a full member with the Union of the Robert Schuman Institute for Developing Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. These memberships connect YEPP with other youth organisations and with programmes concerned with civic participation, democratic development and political education. The succession of presidents has included figures who later held important national or European positions. Reinfeldt went on to become Sweden's prime minister, while other former YEPP officers have entered national parliaments, governments and European institutions. This pattern reinforces YEPP's function as a leadership pipeline and political network, although it is not formally a government body or a political party in its own right. Lídia Pereira of Portugal presided over the organisation from 2018 through 2025. She was followed by Sophia Kircher of Austria for the 2025–2027 term. The current board also includes a first vice-president, secretary-general, deputy secretary-general, treasurer, vice-presidents and financial auditors drawn from member organisations in different European countries. YEPP's continuing role is to convene younger centre-right politicians, articulate youth perspectives within the EPP family and support cooperation among affiliated organisations across Europe.
- 2025
Sophia Kircher begins presidency
[2]Sophia Kircher of Austria becomes president for the 2025–2027 board term.
- 2018
Lídia Pereira begins presidency
[1]Lídia Pereira of Portugal becomes president, later serving through 2025.
- 2013
Konstantinos Kyranakis begins presidency
[1]Konstantinos Kyranakis of Greece becomes president and serves through 2017.
- 2011
Csaba Dömötör begins presidency
[1]Csaba Dömötör of Hungary leads the organisation during the 2011–2013 term.
- 2007
Ioannis Smyrlis begins presidency
[1]Ioannis Smyrlis of Greece becomes president for the 2007–2009 term.
- 1997
YEPP is founded
[1]The Youth of the European People's Party is established, with Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden serving as its founding president.
Products and positioning
A centre-right, pro-European federation connecting youth organisations affiliated with the European People's Party.
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