Our Mission
Our membership is diverse. We come from a rich array of histories, cultures and political traditions, but we are united by a shared commitment to freedom, and to fighting socialism. Some of us come from established democracies with deep-rooted beliefs in individual freedom and liberty; some have experienced first-hand the destructive evil of communism; others are still fighting for basic freedoms.
Throughout the year the IYDU hosts a number of events around the world. Current and future leaders network, discuss ideology, share ideas and build friendships. Our events include a Freedom Forum in the middle of the year, a Study Trip, and a Council Meeting held towards the end/start of the calendar year.
Becoming involved in IYDU demonstrates a commitment: to a better world, created through genuine democratic process. Participants at our conferences have progressed to become cabinet ministers, members of parliament, senior advisers and leaders within their respective industries in public and private sectors.
Our Leadership
Chairman:
Michael Dust (Germany)
Deputy Chairman:
Nick Francis (St. Vincent and Grenadines)
Secretary General:
Eva Dohalova (Austria)
Deputy Secretary General:
Cheng-Hao Shen (Howard) (Taiwan)
Treasurer:
Sourabh Choudhary (India)
Immediate Past Chairman:
Bruno Kazuhiro (Brazil)
Vice-Chairs:
Rick Loughery (United States)
Lilit Beglaryan (Armenia)
Roberto Pellizzaro (Italy)
Hikmat Karki (Nepal)
Nicola Richards (United Kingdom)
Maria Miala (Finland)
Marwa El Ansari (Morocco)
Judita Emic (Croatia)
Nana Asafo Adje Ayeh (Ghana)
Frank Alley (Honduras)
Kendron Christopher (Jamaica)
Thomas Belligh (Belgium)
Orestis Trasanidis (Greece)
Carl Pfeiffer (Sweden)
Julieta Altieri (Argentina)
James Porter (Australia)
Flor Roggenbauch (Switzerland)
Paul Saadeh (Lebanon)
Falah Hasan (Kurdistan)
Our History
First established in 1981, two years before its parent organisation the International Democrat Union (IDU), then re-established in 1991, the IYDU has grow from 14 members to 127, from more than 81 different nations.
IYDU CHAIRMEN
1981 – 1983 Elmar Brok MEP (Germany)
1994 – 1998 Tony Zagotta (United States)
1998 – 2002 Andrew Rosindell MP (United Kingdom)
2002 – 2004 Shane Frith (New Zealand)
2004 – 2006 Donald Simpson (United Kingdom)
2006 – 2009 Peter Skovholt Gitmark MP (Norway)
2009 – 2010 Tim Dier (United Kingdom)
2010 – 2012 Daniel Walther (Germany)
2012 – 2012 Nicolas Figari (Chile)
2012 – 2014 Aris Kalafatis (Greece)
2014 – 2016 Gerti Bogdani (Albania)
2016 – 2018 Bashir Wardini (Lebanon)
2018 – 2019 Abdelmajid Fassi Fihri MP (Morocco)
2019 – 2021 Bruno Kazuhiro (Brazil)
2021 – Michael Dust (Germany)
Our Patrons
The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven LG, OM, FRS PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 1979-1990
Baroness Thatcher is Patron for International Young Democrat Union.
Baroness Thatcher was Britain’s first woman Prime Minister. She was appointed Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service in 1979, following the success of the Conservative Party in the general election the previous day. Baroness Thatcher subsequently became the first British Prime Minister this century to win three consecutive general elections.
Baroness Thatcher was born Margaret Hilda Thatcher in 1925, the daughter of a grocer who was active in local politics, eventually becoming mayor of Grantham. She went to Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ High School, won a bursary to Somerville College, Oxford and obtained a BSc in Natural Science. She worked for four years as an industrial research chemist, studying for the Bar in her spare time. From 1954 she practiced as a barrister.
As an undergraduate she was President of the Oxford University Conservative Association. As Miss Margaret Roberts she stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in 1950 and 1951, but (after her marriage) entered the House of Commons in 1959 as Member of Parliament for Finchley. She represented the same seat until 1974 when boundary changes made her the MP for Barnet, Finchley.
Baroness Thatcher’s first ministerial appointment came in 1961, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance. From 1964 to 1970, she was front-bench spokesman for the Conservative Opposition; from 1967, as a member of the Shadow Cabinet, she had a wide range of portfolios.
When the Conservatives returned to power in 1970 she was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Science. In 1974, she returned to the Shadow Cabinet as Front-Bench spokesman on the environment, then, at the end of that year on Treasury matters. She was elected Leader of the Conservative Party and thus Leader of the Opposition in 1975.
In 1990, after three years of her third term as Prime Minister, John Major succeeded her as party leader. She was created a life peer in 1992, with the title Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and continues to represent Conservatism in the House of Lords. Her husband, Denis, became Sir Denis Thatcher, Baronet. Their twin children are a son, Mark and daughter, Carol.
Her writings include two volumes of memoirs, The Downing Street Years (1993) and The Path to Power (1995). She has been awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Barnet and of the City of London. She is an Honorary Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford.
Our Declaration of Principles
As adopted at the IYDU Foundation Meeting in Washington DC, USA in March 1991, amended at the 2nd IYDU Council Meeting in Athens, Greece in 1994 and further amended at the 4th Council Meeting of the IYDU in Litchfield, Connecticut, USA on 5th August 2001.
The undersigned chairmen or leaders of Conservative, Christian Democrat and like-minded youth organisations:
HAVING REGARD to their common convictions that democratic societies provide individuals throughout the world with the best conditions for political liberty, personal freedom, equality of opportunity and economic development under the rule of law, and therefore:
BEING COMMITTED to advancing the social and political values on which democratic societies are founded;
STRESSING our commitment to the promotion of basic personal freedoms and human rights secured by private property rights and in particular, the rights of free speech, organisation, assembly and non-violent dissent; the right to free and fair elections and the freedom to organise effective parliamentary opposition to government; the right to a free and independent media; the right to religious belief; and the right to equality before the law;
OPPOSING the use of violence, imprisonment, forced exile and confiscation of property as a means of achieving political objectives;
HAVING REGARD to their common beliefs in an open society, where power is dispersed widely amongst free institutions, dedicated to creating conditions that will enable each individual to reach his full potential and to carry out his responsibilities to his fellow men; and where the central task of government is to serve the individual and to safeguard and promote individual freedom;
STRESSING the moral commitments of a free and open society, supporting the institutions of the family as its fundamental social and cohesive force, as well as social responsibility towards the weak and less fortunate, particularly by encouraging self-help and individual enterprise and choice in the provision of services;
HAVING REGARD to their common views that political democracy and private property are inseparable components of individual liberty and that the free market economy provide the best means of creating the wealth and material prosperity to meet the legitimate aspirations of individuals, and of tackling social evils such as unemployment and inflation;
BELIEVING that this is the most effective and beneficial way of providing individual initiative and enterprise, responsible economic development, employment opportunities, low taxation and consumer choice;
HAVING REGARD to the threats imposed by oppressive ideologies;
REJECTING any form of totalitarianism, which brings so much suffering and restricts so many freedoms today;
HAVING REGARD to the important global tasks which render necessary and desirable a closer and efficient collaboration of their organisations, inspired by their common convictions;
PLEDGING THEMSELVES to work towards closer co-operation among all the peoples of democratic nations, while recognising the right of each individual nation to preserve its identity and to safeguard its vital interests, to use their influence and above all their political values for the greater good of the world, especially by promoting the mutual responsibilities of all nations for global economic development;
DECLARE their dedication to a just and lasting peace and freedom throughout the world; and
FURTHER DECLARE that the cause of peace will be advanced by adherence to the principles expressed in this Declaration; and in
ACTIVELY INVITING other organisations to subscribe to them;
AGREE to create a working association in pursuance of their common beliefs, hereinafter referred to as the INTERNATIONAL YOUNG DEMOCRAT UNION (IYDU).
Our Constitution
- Name
1.1. The name of the organisation shall be the “International Young Democrat Union”, hereinafter referred to as the “IYDU”. - Aims and Objectives
2.1. The aims of the IYDU as an international non-governmental youth organisation are based on:-
2.1.1. The conviction that the politics of those political parties emphasise the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Principles which forms part of this Constitution.
2.1.2. The belief that the ideals and cultural heritage of the pluralist democracies should be promoted and defended.
2.1.3. The desire to contribute to, and participate in, the working of the International Democrat Union (IDU).
2.1.4. The commitment of the member organisations to extend and strengthen their existing co-operation.
2.2. The objectives of the IYDU are:
2.2.1. To represent member organisations at an international level.
2.2.2. To further co-operation between member organisations by the regular exchange of information and the holding of periodic meetings.
2.2.3. To raise and expend money to promote the aims of the IYDU. - Membership
3.1. Any national, regional or international political organisation that declares its support for the Declaration of Principles and the Aims and Objectives as stated above shall be eligible for membership of the IYDU.
3.2. The IDU Executive shall in all cases retain the right to exclude any organisation from the IYDU and shall be the final arbiter in cases of disputed eligibility.
3.3. There shall be two categories of membership, Full and Observer.
3.4. Full Membership
3.4.1. National youth organisations fully associated with member parties of the IDU, or regional or international organisations associated with any of the IDU’s regional unions, shall be eligible for Full membership.
3.4.2. Member parties of the IDU, or any of the IDU’s regional unions, which do not have an associated youth organisation, shall be eligible for Full membership.
3.4.3. Organisations not otherwise eligible for Full membership (under 3.4.1 and 3.4.2) may apply for Full membership. This may be granted by a vote of the IYDU Executive or by a vote of the Full members that are represented at a meeting of the Council.
3.4.4. Full membership shall be granted to an eligible organisation upon the signing by that organisation of the IYDU Declaration of Principles at a meeting of the Council or the Executive.
3.4.5. A Full member shall have the right to attend and participate in all meetings of the IYDU and may exercise a single vote at meetings of the Council.
3.5. Observer Membership
3.5.1. Any national, regional or international political youth organisation, which is not eligible for Full membership, may apply for Observer membership.
3.5.2. Observer membership may be granted to an organisation by a vote of the Executive or the Council, but must be ratified annually at each meeting of the Council.
3.5.3. The Executive of the IDU may, within six months of a decision by the IYDU to grant Observer membership to a particular organisation, exercise a veto over that decision.
3.5.4. An Observer member shall have the right to attend meetings of the Council and the Executive. Observer members shall be granted speaking and moving rights but shall not be entitled to vote. - Council
4.1. There shall be a Council of the IYDU, which shall meet every calendar year.
4.2. The Council shall consist of the Patron, the Office Bearers and the members of the IYDU.
4.3. The Council shall:-
4.3.1. Elect the Patron who will not be subject to re-election at the Council Meeting unless two thirds of all those present and eligible to vote support a motion to elect the Patron which must be notified to the Executive Secretary in time to be circulated prior to the Council Meeting.
4.3.2. Elect the Office Bearers.
4.3.3. Consider the reports of the Executive and Office Bearers.
4.3.4. Consider reports from member organisations.
4.3.5. Consider the audited accounts.
4.3.6. Establish the objectives, policies and broad range of activities of the IYDU.
4.3.7. Consider applications for Full membership.
4.3.8. Consider applications for Observer membership and ratify all Observer members.
4.3.9. Consider amendments to this Constitution.
4.4. Notice of a meeting of the Council shall be made at least two months prior to the meeting and shall contain the date and location of the meeting as well as any motions of which the Secretary General has received notice.
4.5. The quorum for a valid vote of the Council shall be representatives of one quarter of the Full members who have paid their annual membership fee.
4.6. In the absence of a quorum, a postal or e-mail vote of the Office Bearers and Full members shall ratify the decisions made by the Council. - Office Bearers
5.1. The Office Bearers shall consist of the:
5.1.1. Chairman The Council shall elect a Chairman who will serve for not more than two terms and shall preside over the Council and the Executive. The Chairman shall ultimately be responsible for the work of the IYDU and shall, when possible, represent the IYDU at meetings of the IDU Executive.
5.1.2. Deputy Chairman The Council shall elect a Deputy Chairman who shall ultimately be responsible for co-ordination between the IYDU and regional organisations. The Deputy Chairman will also take over the responsibilities of the IYDU Chairman in his absence.
5.1.3. Vice-Chairmen The Council shall elect ten Vice-Chairmen who will be responsible for liaising between the IYDU Executive and member organisations as well as roles delegated by the IYDU Chairman or Executive.
5.1.4. Treasurer The Council shall elect a Treasurer who will be responsible for overseeing and administrating the finances of the IYDU and the preparation of the annual budget.
5.1.5. Secretary General The Council shall elect, on the nomination of the Chairman, an Secretary General who shall be responsible to the Chairman for the administration of the IYDU.
5.2. All Office Bearers shall belong to either:-
5.2.1. A member party of the IDU or any of its regional unions; or
5.2.2. A Full member organisation of the IYDU.
5.3. The Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary General shall belong to member parties of the IDU.
5.4. An Office Bearer’s position shall be declared vacant if a motion to do so is supported by two thirds of the Office Bearers.
5.5. In the situation where an elected Office Bearer position is vacant, the Executive may elect someone to occupy that position until the next meeting of the Council. - Executive
6.1. The Executive shall consist of the Office Bearers, the immediate past Chairman of IYDU, subject to the ratification of the Council of the IYDU, and the Secretary General of the IDU. The Secretary General of the IDU shall be an ex-officio non-voting member.
6.2. The Executive shall meet at least once every twelve months.
6.3. The Chairman shall convene meetings of the Executive.
6.4. The Executive shall be responsible for directing business of the IYDU between Council meetings and, in particular, supervising the day-to-day work of the IYDU, adopting an annual budget and representing the IYDU as it sees fit.
6.5. The Executive shall exercise all the power of the Council unless otherwise specified in this Constitution.
6.6. All members shall receive notice and minutes of Executive meetings and may participate in meetings of the Executive in a non-voting capacity.
6.7. If called upon to do so by the Chairman, decisions of the Executive may be made by telephone conference call, e-mail or internet conference where a meeting of the Executive is not foreseen within a reasonable time of the decision becoming necessary.
6.8. The Executive shall be able to co-opt any person to serve on the Executive. Co-opted Executive members shall not have voting rights and their terms of office will expire at the subsequent meeting of the Council.
6.9. The Chairman or Executive may invite any individual to participate in the meetings of the IYDU. 6.1 The quorum of a meeting of the Executive shall be one third of the Office Bearers. - Committees
7.1. The Council or the Executive may appoint committees for purposes that the Council or the Executive may see fit.
7.2. The Chairman and the Secretary General shall be members of every committee. - Administration and Finance
8.1. The working language of the IYDU, to be used in all notices and meetings, shall be English.
8.2. Administrative support for the IYDU shall be provided by the IYDU Secretary General, the IDU Secretary General, the Secretaries of the IDU’s regional unions and, where possible, the political party of the Chairman and Secretary General.
8.3. Full and Observer members shall pay an annual subscription to be determined from time to time by the Executive. The annual subscription shall become due when rendered by the Treasurer.
8.4. The expenses of the Office Bearers shall be provided for in the annual budget.
8.5. Upon dissolution, the assets of the IYDU shall devolve upon the IDU in trust for payment to a future organisation with like aims and objectives as the IYDU. - Voting and Election Procedures
9.1. Voting in all structures of the IYDU shall be by simple majority unless otherwise specified in this Constitution.
9.2. There shall be secret ballots held at the Council for the election of Office Bearers regardless of how many candidates there are.
9.3. The IDU Secretary General or his nominee will act as Returning Officer in the election for Office Bearers.
9.4. Nominations of candidates for IYDU Office Bearers shall be submitted in writing to the Returning Officer 14 clear days in advance of the Council and shall be proposed by at least two Full member organisations. Only Full Members that have paid the annual subscription fee before the opening of the Council Meeting will be entitled to vote.
9.5. Office Bearers shall have the right to exercise a vote at meetings of the Council. - Interpretation, Omissions and Alterations
10.1. The IDU Executive can only amend this Constitution.
10.2. Amendments of this Constitution shall be proposed to the IDU Executive subsequent to a resolution of the IYDU Council.
10.3. Two thirds of member organisations which are represented and have paid the annual subscription for the current financial year at a meeting of the Council must vote in support of any proposed amendment in order for this Constitution to be altered, provided that the proposed amendment has been included in the Notice of Business.
10.4. The Executive shall have the power to interpret this Constitution and to deal with any matter not provided for in this Constitution.
IYDU 