News

Last week LYMEC, the European Liberal Youth held our annual Academy event in the European Parliament.

The theme for the event, held across two days, was “the Voice of Youth”. Less than 12 months before crucial EU elections, contributors discussed the role young liberals should play both within their own parties and in communicating the message to the wider electorate, in addition deciding on what that message should be in an ever changing political landscape.

The event proved to be a useful forum in which best practices and plans were shared. Speakers included Sir Graham Watson (President of the ALDE Party), Guy Verhofstadt (President of the ALDE Group) and Marietje Schaake MEP from D66 in the Netherlands all of whom gave positive speeches about the past records of liberals in Europe and of future prospects.

Offering a personal perspective of the influence young people can have in politics was Jasna Gabric from LDS, who is the Deputy Mayor of Trbovlje in Slovenia. The best way of responding to populism was also explored in a presentation by Marley Morris from Counterpoint.

Over 80 participants took part in the event which was organised in partnership with our sister organisation Young Democrats of Europe, YDE, and ALDE, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.