The European Young Conservatives ( EYC ) is a grouping of youth wings of conservative and center-right political parties in Europe.
As of 2014, the group has a membership of 26 political youth organizations from 22 different countries and territories, in addition to four associated members. The EYC is independent and not affiliated with any European political party , but maintains a non-exclusive relationship with the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (formerly known as the European Conservatives and Reformists ).
The EYC is a full member of the International Young Democrat Union .
History
The EYC was founded in August 1993 by the British Conservative Party , Danish Conservative People’s Party , and Icelandic Independence Party , under the leadership of Andrew Rosindell , then-chairman of the UK’s Young Conservatives . [1]
It emerged from a split in the center-right Democrat Youth Community of Europe (DEMYC), which separated into two factions: the larger part, following a broadly Christian democraticphilosophy; and the smaller part, led by Rosindell, following a broadly conservative philosophy. Two crucial points of disagreement were the scope of economic liberalization and the desirability of a federal Europe .
From 1993 to 1997, the group was led by Rosindell. [2] The group gave training to newly Established democratic political party in Russia , Belarus , and Azerbaijan . [3]
The EYC generally holds three conference events with the Freedom Summit. It has held Freedom Summits in Cambridge , United Kingdom (2014 and 2015), Porto , Portugal (2016), and Warsaw , Poland (2017) in Stockholm , Sweden (2014), Tbilisi , Georgia (2016), and Prague , Czech Republic (2017), and annual congresses in Warsaw , Poland (2012), [4] Istanbul , Turkey(2014), Prague , Czech Republic (2012, 2013 and 2015), and Brussels , Belgium (2016). [5]
Since 2016, an international conflict between civic and ethnic nationalists has emerged within the EYC. The ethnic nationalists have been opposed to the membership of Turkish and Israeli parties and claimed the EYC has „replaced anti-immigration policies with free market capitalism“. [6] Resulting from the dispute, the Finns Party Youth Announced on May 18, 2017, with its leader Samuli Voutila saying: „We can not be members in the same organization as the new Turkish sultan’s youth wing, when it acts against European values. “ [7] On June 12, the Estonian movement Blue Awakeninga letter to the EYC demanding the expulsion of the AK Turkish Youth Party within seven days. Was the letter later published on Richard B. Spencer ’s website AltRight.com. [6]
Membership
The EYC has twenty-five member organizations: [8]
| Country | Organization | Mother party | European party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| armenia | Prosperous Armenia Youth | Prosperous Armenia | ACRE | |
| belarus | BPF Youth | BPF Party | ACRE | |
| belgium | Jong N-VA | N-VA | E FA | |
| bulgaria | YBWC | – | None | |
| Czech Republic | Young Conservatives | Civic Democratic Party | ACRE | |
| Faroe Islands | Huxa | People’s Party | ACRE | |
| georgia | Young Conservatives | Conservative Party of Georgia | ACRE | |
| germany | Young Reformer | Alliance for Progress and Renewal | ACRE | |
| germany | Young Alternative for Germany | Alternative for Germany | None | |
| iceland | Young Independents | Independence Party | ACRE | |
| italy | Conservatives and Reformists | Conservatives and Reformists | ACRE | |
| italy | Youth for Freedom | – | None | |
| Israel | Likud | Likud | ACRE (regional partner) | |
| latvia | For Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK Youth Club | For Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK | None | |
| liechtenstein | Junge FBP | Progressive Citizens‘ Party | None | |
| lithuania | Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania Youth Organization | Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania | ACRE | |
| luxembourg | adrenalin, dei jonk adr | Alternative Democratic Reform Party | ACRE | |
| norway | Progress Party’s Youth | Progress Party | None | |
| poland | Law and Justice Youth Forum | Law and Justice | ACRE | |
| Portugal | People’s Youth | Democratic and Social Center – People’s Party | EPP | |
| romania | New Republic Youth | New Republic | ACRE | |
| switzerland | Young SVP | Swiss People’s Party | None | |
| United Kingdom | Conservative Future | Conservative Party | ACRE | |
| United Kingdom | Conservative Future Scotland | Conservative Party | ACRE | |
| United Kingdom | Young Unionists | Ulster Unionist Party | ACRE | |
Associate members
| Country | Organization | Mother party |
|---|---|---|
| australia | Young Liberals | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Canada | Young Conservatives | Conservative Party of Canada |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Young Nationals | New Zealand National Party |
| United States | Young Republicans | Republican Party |
Footnotes
- Jump up^ Mercer, Paul (1994). Directory of British Political Organizations . London: Longman. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-582-23729-2 .
- Jump up^ „Andrew Rosindell“ . Parliament . Archived from the original on 9 June 2010 . Retrieved 26 August 2010 .
- Jump up^ „After the Campaign Rush“ . BBC News . June 7, 2001.
- Jump up^ „Europejscy Młodzi Konserwatyści na kongresie w Warszawie“ . Gazeta Wyborcza (in Polish). 20 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017 . Retrieved 29 May 2012 .
- Jump up^ „EYC Congress gathered in Prague“ . European Young Conservatives. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013 . Retrieved May 21, 2012 .
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lyons, Charles (12 June 2017). „Estonian Blue Awakening Gives European Young Conservatives 7 Days To Stop Their Cuckish Ways“ . AltRight.com . Retrieved 13 June 2017 .
- Jump up^ The Youth Finns Party leaves European Young Conservatives. 05/18/2017.
- Jump up^ „Members“ . European Young Conservatives . Retrieved May 21, 2012 .