A Plural Voice in Europe’s centre-right
JSD, Juventude Social Democrata, was born alongside Portuguese democracy. After the Carnation Revolution of 1974 ended almost five decades of dictatorship, a group of young democrats came together convinced that freedom had to be defended and translated into political participation. More than fifty years later, that commitment still defines us.
Within the YEPP family, JSD brings a particular political tradition. Portuguese Social Democracy does not fit within either classical social democratic models or the Christian Democratic tradition. Our political family is broad and plural, bringing together social democrats, liberals, conservatives and Christian democrats around moderate and responsible centre-right policies rooted in democracy, freedom, human dignity, solidarity, prosperity and equality of opportunity. This diversity is one of our defining features.
Our European journey reflects that particularity. Before joining the European People’s Party in 1996, PSD belonged to the European liberal family. Its move to the EPP placed Portuguese Social Democracy within Europe’s main centre-right political family while preserving the plural character that still distinguishes PSD and JSD.
Europe, however, has never been merely an institutional affiliation for us. Pedro Pinto joined Portugal’s first delegation to the European Parliament in 1986 as the representative indicated by JSD. Carlos Coelho followed in 1998 through the JSD quota and became one of Portugal’s most prominent European political figures. In 2019, Lídia Pereira continued that tradition when she was elected to the European Parliament at only 27. JSD members have also served for many years at the highest levels of YEPP’s leadership, including Lídia Pereira as the first female president of YEPP.
This international presence is matched by a strong political footprint at home. JSD is Portugal’s largest political youth organisation. Eight of our members currently serve in the Portuguese Parliament and more than 700 hold elected office in municipalities and parishes across the country. For us, representation means more than being heard. Young people should have the opportunity and responsibility to take decisions themselves.
Our political action focuses on the challenges facing our generation. Mental health is one of our strongest causes, alongside housing, education, employment and the conditions young people need to achieve genuine independence. More recently, JSD has also made the fight against sexual violence and stronger protection for victims of sexual crimes a priority, while contributing to the wider debate on reforming Portugal’s justice system.
JSD’s presence is equally visible in Portuguese universities. JSD student branches, known as NESD, continue to grow across the country, defending students’ interests and developing proposals to improve their academic experience, living conditions and future opportunities. We believe that political participation should start early and that universities should remain spaces for free debate, without imposed ideological barriers.
Throughout our history, JSD has become one of Portugal’s most important schools of democratic leadership. Generations of members have gone on to serve as mayors, Members of Parliament, ministers and national political leaders. This combination of political formation and real responsibility captures what JSD seeks to be. We do not see youth politics as preparation for a distant future. We want young people to participate, propose, disagree, reform and lead now.
Our history gives us roots, while Europe expands our horizon. More than fifty years after our creation, we remain committed to the same idea. Young people are not waiting for the future. We are already helping to build it.
By Maria Santos Galhano, JSD’s International Secretary.
