History – European Democrat Students

History

Antonio López-Istúriz White,EPP Secretary General
The EPP family works as one team with our member parties, associations, and working
groups for a common purpose – to create a democratic, transparent, prosperous and
efficient Europe that is close to its citizens. In this mission, EDS has always been a
strong and reliable partner, having the highest record of adopted resolutions by the
Party.
Antonio López-Istúriz White,EPP Secretary General
Dr. Hans-Gert Poettering,President of European Parliament ret. and Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
May we never forget that the EU brought us freedom and prosperity – a yet to be lived dream for many men and women outside the European borders. Youth associations like the European Democrat Students have an especially important role to play in this process as the young will shape the Europe of tomorrow.
Dr. Hans-Gert Poettering,President of European Parliament ret. and Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Dieter Ibielski,EDS Founding Member
What began with the small ICCS is nowadays a large EDS, an accepted and influential political student union with members and guests from Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Serbia, Moldova to Ukraine. EDS must and will continue as broadly recognised training institution, bringing together and serving students who are selflessly ready to broaden their political horizons.
Dieter Ibielski,EDS Founding Member

European Democrat Students (EDS) is a pan-European centre-right student and youth political association, and the official student organisation of the European People’s Party. Founded in Vienna by Scandinavian, German and Austrian students in 1961, it represents over 1.600.000 students and young people in 40 member organisations from 35 countries in Europe, and is the largest youth organisation in Europe.

Its stated goal is to promote a free, democratic and united Europe through a greater student mobility and comprehensive education policies across the continent. European Democrat Students has been always a frontrunner in integration, fighting for open borders, united Europe and European debate in European politics. The three pillars of EDS originally stood for conservatism, liberalism and christian democracy. Today, EDS grew into a large family which has an outlook that is various, rich and unique, represented by the name ‘Democrat’: Here, student organisations, political youth organisations and other centre-right organisations come together to shape modern centre-right policies for Europe.

Our History

How Everything Started

In July and August 1958 a group of Swedish students travelled to Vienna, Prague and Berlin. In Berlin the SKS-delegation attended the Annual Meeting of RCDS. A bilateral cooperation was initiated that was soon enlarged to a multilateral one with student organisations from the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Germany. The immediate impression of Germany’s division, the dangerous political heritage of Europe and the increasing activities of the communist organisation “International Union of Students” (IUS) was the motivation to get involved. The importance of international cooperation became obvious, when the IUS organised the “7th World Youth Festival” in Vienna in 1959. In response, centre-right students established the “Action Committee New Life” (“Arbeitsgemeinschaft Neues Leben”, ANL), the first (temporary) organisation of centre-right students in Europe. Some thousand pins were distributed, with the slogan “Remember Hungary 1956!”. Since ANL-activists established relations to students from Hungary and Poland, traumatising the communist organisers, which even had to separate the student-participants of the festival, since they had to be carryed from event to event in locked buses.

The Vienna-experience must have been encouraging. Soon it was decided to upgrade the centre-right student meetings (particularly in the divided Berlin) to regular International Student Conferences (ISC). The first ISC took place in Copenhagen and Stockholm in April 1960. Until 1970, 15 International Student Conferences and a couple of smaller events were organised. Topics of the conferences were covered almost all areas of politics. In order to institutionalise this cooperation, “The International of Christian-Democrat and Conservative Students” (ICCS) was founded at the 3rd International Student Conference in Vienna in 1961. ICCS defined itself as the “first avantgarde fighter for the protection of the principles of liberty and individualism” and supported European economic integration and programmes for student mobility. Five Western European political student organisations decided to sign the new constitution on May 13: Gerhard Brunner, host of the founding conference and President of the constituting Council Meeting, for Freie Österreichische Studentenschaft (FÖST, Austria), Ulf Hellners for DK (Denmark), Dieter Ibielski for RCDS (Germany), Halvor Bache-Halvorsen for DKSF (Norway), and Carl-Henrik Winquist for SKS (Sweden). Soon after, John Barnes from FUCUA (Britain, October 27, 1961) and Juan Roberti from ESC (Belgium, December 10, 1962) signed. From then on, an alternative to the Moscow-financed IUS existed. The student uprising in the late sixties showed, how important that was.

The increasing importance of European politics and the difficulties in making the international approach a reality stirred up an intense debate on the future identity of the organisation, including a discussion of the name ICCS. “It was the general feeling at Vienna [1969] that the present name is the biggest obstacle in getting contacts,” as Heikki von Hertzen, Finnish Secretary General, expressed. Hence the name “ECCS”, suggested by Ian Taylor, was adopted in 1970. Neither did the new name account for much consent. Less than half a decade later, the Swede Carl Bildt proposed a more neutral name which would better emphasise the organisation’s objective to establish a (centre-right) European Democrat Party: “European Democrat Students”. The new name was finally adopted on 5 June 1975. It has remained with the organisation ever since.

Students on the right way

Download "Students on the right way" book

Previous Bureau

The full list of all our previous bureaus

2022/2024 Bureau

Chairman

Beppe Galea (Malta)

Secretary General

Ivan Botoucharov (UK)

Vice-Chairmen

Katerina Kyriacou (Cyprus)

Edvardas Lukošius (Lithuania)

Anna Vorderwinkler (Austria)

Agata Czyżewska (Poland)

Ramon Riera (Spain)

Rayno D. Stoyanov (Bulgaria)

Iryna Shatokhina (Ukraine)

Dora Hidas (Hungary)

Honorary Chairman

Carlo Giacomo Angrisano Girauta (Spain)

2021/2022 Bureau

Chairman

Beppe Galea (Malta)

Secretary General

Ivan Botoucharov (UK)

Vice-Chairmen

Ramon Riera (Spain)

Dora Hidas (Hungary)

Edvardas Lukosius (Lithuania)

Iakovous Iakovou (Cyprus)

Rayno D. Stoyanov (Bulgaria)

Rodolfo Biancheri (Italy)

Kristjan Uhtid (Estonia)

Eleni Koufali (Greece)

Honorary Chairman

Carlo Giacomo Angrisano Girauta (Spain)

2020/2021 Bureau

Chairman

Carlo Giacomo Angriso Girauta (Spain)

Secretary General

Beppe Galea (Malta)

Vice-Chairmen

Ivan Botoucharov (UK)

Thomas Beligh (Belgium)

Valentina Podesta (Italy)

Karlo Kolesar (Croatia)

Icovos Iacovou (Cyprus)

Vasileos S. Kesidis (Greece)

Benjamin Welling (Germany)

Benita Czirkl (Hungary)

Honorary Chairman

Virgilio Falco (Italy)

2019/2020 Bureau

Chairman

Carlo Giacomo Angriso Girauta (Spain)

Secretary General

Beppe Galea (Malta)

Vice-Chairmen

Ivan Botoucharov (UK)

Karlo Kolesar (Croatia)

Vasileos S. Kesidis (Greece)

Benjamin Welling (Germany)

Boyana Taneva (Bulgaria)

Valentina Podesta (Italy)

Benita Czirkl (Hungary)

Thomas Beligh (Belgium)

Honorary Chairman

Virgilio Falco (Italy)

2017/2018 Bureau

Chairman

Virgilio Falco (Italy)

Vice-Chairmen

Sara Juriks (Norway)

Tommi Pyykkö (Finland)

Beppe Galea (Malta)

Pantelis A. Poetis (Cyprus)

Carlo Giacomo Angrisano Girauta (Spain)

Robert Kiss (Romania)

Mihaela Radu (Moldova)

Gergely Losonci (Hungary)

Secretary General

Tomasz Kaniecki (Poland)

Honorary Chairman

Georgios Chatzigeorgiou (Cyprus)

2016/2017 Bureau

Chairman

Georgios Chatzigeorgiou (Cyprus)

Vice-Chairmen

Giacomo Rossetto (Italy)

Tomasz Kaniecki (Poland)

Silvie Rohr (Germany)

Alexander O´Brien (UK)

Mitya Atanasov (Bulgaria)

Sophia Skoda (Austria)

Sara Alexandra Juriks (Norway)

Efthemia Katsouri (Greece)

Secretary General

Ivan Burazin (Croatia)

2015/2016 Bureau

Chairman

Georgios Chatzigeorgiou (Cyprus)

Vice-Chairmen

Virgilio Falco (Italy)

Efthemia Katsouri (Greece)

Mitya Atanasov (Bulgaria)

Silvie Rohr (Germany)

George Serban (Romania)

Sophia Skoda (Austria)

Alexander O´Brien (UK)

Olivia Andersson (Sweden)

Secretary General

Ivan Burazin (Croatia)

Honorary Chairman

Eva Majewski (Germany)

2014/2015 Bureau

Chairman

Eva Majewski (Germany)

Vice-Chairmen

Anna Masna (Ukraine)

Georgios Chatzigeorgiou (Cyprus)

Gueorg Danielov (Bulgaria)

Ivan Burazin (Croatia)

Jacob Dexe (Sweden)

Mikkel Wrang (Denmark)

Vassilis Sakellaris (Greece)

Virgilio Falco (Italy)

Secretary General

Ingrid Hopp (Norway)

Honorary Chairman

Florian Weinberger (Austria)

2013/2014 Bureau

Chairman

Eva Majewski (Germany)

Vice-Chairmen

Andrey Novakov (Bulgaria)

Anna Masna (Ukraine)

Florian Weinberger (Austria)

Georgios Chatzigeorgiou (Cyprus)

Ivan Burazin (Croatia)

Mikkel Wrang (Denmark)

Teele Holmberg (Estonia)

Vassilis Sakellaris (Greece)

Secretary General

Ingrid Hopp (Norway)

2012/2013 Bureau

Chairman

Juraj Antal (Slovakia)

Vice-Chairmen

Amelie Pommier (France)

Anna Tamasi (Hungary)

Andrey Novakov (Bulgaria)

Avram Crisan (Romania)

Eva Majewski (Germany)

Gintare Narkeviciute (Lithuania)

Ingrid Hopp (Norway)

Stelios Georgiou (Cyprus)

Secretary General

Ann-Sofie Pauwelyn (Belgium)

Area Director

Anna Masna (Ukraine)

2011/2012 Bureau

Chairman

Juraj Antal (Slovakia)

Vice-Chairmen

Alexandros Politis (Greece)

Andraz Kastelic (Slovenia)

Bernhard Krall (Austria)

Gintare Narkeviciute (Lithuania)

Ingrid Hopp (Norway)

Kalin Zahariev (Bulgaria)

Martin Halada (Czech Republic)

Nenad Vajzovic (Croatia)

Secretary General

Samuli Kauranne (Finland)

Honorary Chairman

Bence Bauer (Hungary)

Area Directors

Artur Issaev (Belgium)

Tornike Choniashvili (Georgia)

2010/2011 Bureau

Chairman

Bence Bauer (Hungary)

Vice-Chairmen

Samuli Kauranne (Finland)

Andreas Perotti (Austria)

Matija Magerl (Croatia)

Andreas Willersrud (Norway)

Jean-Baptiste Dabezies (France)

Georgios Tsielepos (Cyprus)

Juraj Antal (Slovakia)

Cathrin Gräber (Germany)

Secretary General

Ildze Kanepaja (Latvia)

Area Directors:

Tatiana Gostieva (Ukraine)

Andraž Kastelic (Slovenia)

2009/2010 Bureau

Chairman

Bence Bauer (Hungary)

Vice-Chairmen

David Božič (Slovenia)

Ildze Kanepaja (Latvia)

Jean-Baptiste Dabezies (France)

Samuli Kauranne (Finland)

Andreas Willersrud (Norway)

Andreas Perotti (Austria)

Christian Peuker (Germany)

Matija Magerl (Croatia)

Secretary General

Maria Keris (Estonia)

Honorary Chairwoman:

Andrea Solomonidou (Cyprus)

Area Directors:

Juraj Antal (Slovakia)

Carina Munck Olsén (Denmark)

Tatiana Gostieva (Ukraine)

2008/2009 Bureau

Chairman

Thomas Uhlen (Germany)

Vice-Chairmen

Andrea Solomonidou (Cyprus)

David Bozic (Slovenia)

Thomas Thaler (Austria)

Kostas Doganis (Greece)

Bence Bauer (Hungary)

Joana Lopes (Portugal)

Janet Barthet (Malta)

Giovanni Vagnone (Italy)

Secretary General

Maja Mazurkiewicz (Poland)

Area Directors:

Fredrik Sawestahl (Sweden)

Carina Munck Olsén (Denmark)

Anca Michaela Plesa (Romania)

Honorary Chairwoman:

Ana Filipa Janine (Portugal)

2007/2008 Bureau

Chairwoman:

Ana Filipa Janine (Portugal)

Vice-Chairmen

Giovanni Vagnone (Italy)

Ivan Gereci (Croatia)

Kostas Doganis (Greece)

Hristina Runceva (FYROM)

Andrea Solomonides (Cyprus)

Thomas Uhlen (Germany)

Ivan Delibasic (Serbia)

Maja Mazurkiewicz (Poland)

Secretary General

Elisabeth Torkildsen (Norway)

2006/2007 Bureau

Chairwoman:

Ana Filipa Janine (Portugal)

Vice-Chairmen

Jarko Sepala (Finland)

Anja Marija Arko (Slovenia)

Ivan Gereci (Croatia)

Vasilis Gkatzaras (Greece)

Todor Gunchev (Bulgaria)

Elisabeth Torkildsen (Norway)

Michalis Michael (Cyprus)

Tatiana Gostieva (Ukraine)

Secretary General

Maria Fuster Cerillo (Spain)

Director of Policies:

Giovanni Vagnone (Italy)

2005/2006 Bureau

Chairman

Sven Henrik Häseker (Germany)

Vice-Chairmen

Jens Ahl (Sweden)

Vasilis Gkatzaras (Greece)

Todor Gunchev (Bulgaria)

Dieter Haas (Austria)

Ana Filipa Janine (Portugal)

Andis Kudors (Latvia)

Michalis Michael (Cyprus)

Gonzalo Otiz Lazaro (Spain)

Secretary General

Anna Anttinen (Finland)

Director of European Integration:

Giovanni Vagnone (Italy)

Director of Communication:

Christophe Van Impe (Belgium)

Honorary Chairman:

Dimitris Terzis (Greece)

2004/2005 Bureau

Chairman

Alexandros Sinka (Cyprus)

Vice-Chairmen

Sven Henrik Häseker (Germany)

Grigoris Dimitriadis (Greece)

Jean-Hubert Lelievre (France)

Jens Ahl (Sweden)

Martin Smith (Great Britain)

Tamas Rumi (Hungary)

Ana Filipa Janine (Portugal)

Luisa Gauci Baluci (Malta)

Secretary General

Karolina Pastuszak (Poland)

Director of Policy:

Dimitris Terzis (Greece)

Director of European Integration:

Bojana Goseva (FYROM)

2003/2004 Bureau

Chairman

Alexandros Sinka (Cyprus)

Vice-Chairmen

Davorka Herman (Croatia)

Ana Janine (Portugal)

Grigoris Dimitriadis (Greece)

Eduard Herda (Germany)

Jean Hubert Le Lievre (France)

Tibor Jona (Serbia-Montenegro)

Satu Arsalo (Finland)

Pedro Moruino (Spain)

Secretary General

Brecht Tessier (Belgium)

Director of Policy:

Dimitris Terzis (Greece))

Director of Communication:

Relika Alliksaar (Estonia)

2002/2003 Bureau

Chairman

Jacob Lund Nielsen (Denmark)

Vice-Chairmen

Pawel Poncyljusz (Poland)

George Boustras (Greece)

Petr Sokol (Czech Republic)

Eduard Herda (Germany)

Jean Hubert Le Lievre (France)

Miroslav Lopata (Slovakia)

Alexandros Sinka (Cyprus)

David Erguido Cano (Spain)

Secretary General

Helge Skinnes (Norway)

Tibault Maltaire (France)

Feri Thierry (Austria)

Secretary General

Holger Thuss (Germany)

Treasurer:

Georgios Kampouridis (Switzerland)

1997/98 Bureau

Chairman

Günther Fehlinger (Austria)

Vice-Chairmen

Razvan Cotovelea (Romania)

Mike Hall (UK)

Anders Hall (Sweden)

Raul de la Hoz-Quintano (Spain)

Tomi Huthanen (Finland)

Holger Thuss (Germany)

Executive Director:

Michalis Peglis (Greece)

Treasurer:

Michael Schaub (Switzerland)

Head of Secretariat:

Michael Charalambous (Greece))

1996/97 Bureau

Chairman

Günther Fehlinger (Austria)

Vice-Chairmen

Else Marie Brodshaug (Norway)

Maria Elgstrand (Sweden)

Eros Antoniades (Cyprus)

Olafur Arnarson (Iceland)

Mattias Bengtsson (Sweden)

David Hoey (UK)

Jose Maestro Lopez (Spain)

Claude Henry Ney (France)

Executive Director:

David Hoile (UK)

Per Carlsson (Sweden)(from Feb 1986)

1984/85 Bureau

Chairman

Daniel Bischof (Switzerland)

Vice-Chairmen

George Anagnostakos (Greece)

Eros Antoniades (Cyprus)

Andreas Enger (Norway)

Jose Maestro Lopez (Spain)

Claude Henry Ney (France)

Cecilia Stego Chilo (Sweden)

Executive Director:

Steven Vlam (Netherlands)

1983/84 Bureau

Chairman

George Anagnostakos (Greece)

Vice-Chairmen

Daniel Bischof (Switzerland)

Johann Friedrich Colsman (Germany)

Bo Erricsson (Sweden)

Brian Monteith (UK)

Claude Henry Ney (France)

Executive Director:

Stephen Morrison (UK)

1982/83 Bureau

Chairman

Knut Olav Nesse (Norway)

Vice-Chairmen

Daniel Bischof (Switzerland)

Johann Friedrich Colsman (Germany)

Atli Eyjolfsson (Iceland)

Enrique Pena Gonzalez (Spain)

Stephen Morrison (UK)

Nicos Vassilou (Cyprus)

Executive Director:

Cecillia Stego Chilo (Sweden)

1981/82 Bureau

Chairman

Per Heister (Sweden)

Deputy Chairmen

Stephan Eisel (Germany)

Constance Le Grip (France)

Vice Chairmen:

Ymke Botsmaa (Netherlands)

Tim Linacre (UK)

Knut Olav Nesse (Norway)

Luis Queiro (Portugal)

Executive Director:

Helga Krumbeck (Germany)

Deputy Executive Director:

Christopher Hamilton (Sweden)

1980/81 Bureau

Chairman

Lars Eskeland (Norway)

Deputy Chairmen:

Jean-Michel Goutier (Belgium)

Mark Leverton (UK)

Vice Chairmen:

Carmel Cacopardo (Malta)

Per Dahl (Sweden)

Stephan Eisel (Germany)

Luis Queiro (Portugal)

Executive Director:

Helga Krumbeck (Germany)

1979/80 Bureau

Chairman

Lars Eskeland (Norway)

Deputy Chairmen:

Rudolf Henke (Germany)

Elisabeth Langby (Sweden)

Vice Chairmen:

Gilbert Besseling (Netherlands)

Jose Antonio Lopez (Spain)

Patrick Gerard (France)

Mark Leverton (UK)

Executive Director:

Helga Krumbeck (Germany)

1978/79 Bureau

Chairman

Pierre Moinet (France)

Vice-Chairmen

Scott Hamilton (UK)

Patrick d'Humieres (France)

Secretary General

Per Ledin (Sweden)

1974/75 Bureau

Chairman

Carl Bildt (Sweden)

Vice-Chairmen

Patrick d'Humieres (France)

Peter S Joergensen (Denamrk)

Gerd Langguth (Germany)

Colin Maltby (UK)

Secretary General

Per Ledin (Sweden)

1973/74 Bureau

Chairman

Tom Spencer (UK)

Vice-Chairmen

Carl Bildt (Sweden)

Michael Claris (France)

Jürgen Klemann (Germany)

Njal Moe (Norway)

1972/73 Bureau

Chairman

Tom Spencer (UK)

Vice-Chairmen

Michael Claris (France)

Anders Arfwedson (Sweden)

Reginald E Simmerson (UK)

1963/64 Bureau

Secretary General:

Carl-Henrik Winquist (Sweden)

Assistant Secretary General:

Dieter Ibielski (Germany)

Jean-Augustin Roberti (Belgium)

Jan M Hoem/Arild Isegg (Norway)

1962/63 Bureau

Secretary General:

Carl-Henrik Winquist (Sweden)

Assistant Secretary General:

Dieter Ibielski (Germany)

Jean-Augustin Roberti (Belgium)