A Journey Through Time
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Founding-Congress-1997.png)
21.1.1997
YEPP is born
On 21 January 1997, almost 300 people representing 42 youth political organisations gathered for a weekend of debate and discussion at the Facultés Universitaires Saint-Louis in Brussels. The event would become the Founding Congress of the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP) and was the final step in a long journey towards building a single European umbrella organisation of youth parties affiliated with the European People’s Party.
26.4.2024
Building trust
Frederik Reinfeldt is elected first president of YEPP facing the fundamental challenge of asserting YEPP’s as the single organisation representing such a broad scope of member parties and breaking off former disruptions. Central to this was building trust and bridging the ideological and geographical gaps in its members
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Fredrik-Reinfeldt.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Micheal-Hahn.png)
26.4.2024
Internet era
It was at YEPP’s second Congress, held in Lisbon from 4-7 March 1999 that Michael Hahn was elected President. At that time YEPP was intrigued by the revolution that the internet could bring seeking to understand its impact for politics and more broadly how it would change the nature and role of governments. While in the US, politics started experimenting with communication via internet, Europe was still behind in the process.
26.4.2024
Broadening YEPP
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/R.J.-Hebben-and-D.-Bautista.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/David-Hansen.png)
26.4.2024
Towards Enlargement
YEPP’s fifth Congress was held from 17-20 March 2005 and saw David Hansen elected President alongside a new officer board. During Hansen’s mandate, the Board renewed its efforts to deepen links in Europe’s neighbourhood by hosting seminars in both the Balkans and South Caucus regions as well as having YEPP delegations participate in conferences in Russia and China.
26.4.2024
YEPP's VI Congress
The mandate of Yannis Smrylis began upon his election at YEPP’s VI and 10 Anniversary Congress in Stockholm under the title “Agenda Setting in Europe” from 10-13 May 2007. The Congress was held in partnership with YEPP’s Swedish member parties, the Young Christian Democrats (KDU) and the Young Moderates (MUF).
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Yannis-Smrylis.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/yepp-10-years.png)
26.4.2024
10th Anniversary
26.4.2024
YEPP's 7th President
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Laurent-Schouteten.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Csaba-Domotor.png)
26.4.2024
First President from Central and Eastern Europe
26.4.2024
Youth Employment Campaign
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kostas-Kyranakis.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Andrianous-Giannou.png)
26.4.2024
Navigating challenges
26.4.2024
Lídia Pereira: First Female President
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/lidia-and-weber-2018.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/lidia-president-yepp-18.png)
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/transatlantic-youth-summit-23.jpg)
26.4.2024
Transatlantic Youth Summit
Under Pereira’s leadership, YEPP has worked to renew the transatlantic relationship among the next generation of political leaders. In November 2022, Pereira became the first YEPP President to participate in the Transatlantic Legislatures Dialogue in Washington D.C, a policy exchange forum between MEPs and US representatives. In the summer 2023, YEPP re-launched the Transatlantic Youth Summit, with the first edition of the conference since 2015.
26.4.2024
Recent Developments
![](https://youthepp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Lidia-mep-and-vpresident-selected.jpg)