As ethnic divisions ease in the Balkans, political parties across the spectrum are finding the need for new approaches that focus on thoughtful policy debate rather than personality and ethnicity. Young leaders in particular will play an important role in these changes.

In partnership with the VMRO-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), NDI co-hosted a meeting Feb. 5-7 of 35 young leaders from center-right Balkan political parties. At the meeting in Skopje, Macedonia, participants focused on how to attract youth to conservative values in the 21st century as well as how to tackle a wide range of issues, including those not traditionally seen as conservative. Discussion also covered the difference between the terms "center-right" and "conservative" and the spectrum of center-right party values.

The young people displayed an enthusiasm to leave behind the Balkans' troubled past of ethnic divisions to "set an example of multi-cultural integration and cooperation," in the words of a declaration signed at the conclusion of the meeting by the young political leaders.

Perspective at the meeting was provided by speakers from conservative parties from elsewhere in Europe who had experience with these issues. For example, Rob Thomas, from the British Conservative International Office, described the conservative experience in the United Kingdom (UK) in the early 1990s trying to modernize the party, reformulate policy and integrate new public communications techniques.

UK conservatives, he noted, began to tackle issues that were not traditionally seen as conservative — such as the environment, health care and social justice — while adhering to European conservative beliefs in a strong government, individual and economic liberty, and thriving civil society. The discussion concluded that conservative ideas of liberty, opportunity and choice should be attractive to young people and need to be presented as dynamic and forward-looking, supporting change and reform.

NDI enlisted Lucinda Creighton, a conservative member of parliament in Ireland, who spoke about her experience as a youth leader in the Fine Gael party and activist in the Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP). A spokesman for the Junge Union of the German Christian Democrat Union (CDU) also presented.

At the end of the two-day meeting, the participants co-signed the declaration to establish a network of young, center-right political leaders in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The international secretaries of the parties' youth wings will coordinate regular communications to promote youth engagement on policy development.

The development of such regional networks to share experience and best practices is part of NDI's regional initiative to support political parties in southeastern Europe. NDI assists parties in the development of policy platforms that are based on ideology and represent citizens' interests. NDI has worked with mainstream parties of the left, center and right in the Balkans for more than 15 years, helping them build organizations, bring new people into politics, contest elections responsibly and work in parliament on behalf of constituents.

These political parties are striving to provide leadership as their countries move toward membership in the European Union. They face the simultaneous challenge of articulating their political identity and applying it to policy and reform initiatives, while tackling persistent issues like corruption, the economy and unemployment.

NDI conducts its regional political party initiative with the goal of helping parties in the Balkans learn from each other and from sister parties around Europe on their roles in contemporary Europe. The initiative is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and has active support from a variety of European party foundations. The British Conservative International Office and the German Konrad Adenauer Stiftung joined NDI and VMRO as co-sponsors of the event.

Building on participant engagement on ideological discussion and the need for regional networking, NDI will support these center-right party youth organizations as they work toward common priorities and promote youth engagement on policy issues. The Institute will also use discussions at such gatherings to support center-right partners as they work to articulate ideology and pursue policy reforms.

Picture above: Gerti Bogdani (second from left) is the youngest member in the Albanian Parliament. He built popularity as a mayor of a sub-municipality in the capital of Tirana by addressing constituent needs. In Skopje, Bogdani discussed how his Democratic Party (DP) gathers youth supporters and their proposed education policy reforms in Albania. He sits next to fellow speaker Lucinda Creighton (far left) also the youngest Member of Parliament in Ireland.

Published March 11, 2010