Candidates for Arbitration Board and Auditors’ Committee 2025-2027

I have been an active JEFer since 2017, serving in various national and international roles, including as a board member of JEF Finland in 2020, a directly elected Federal Committee member 2021–2023, and a member of the Executive Board 2023–2025. Beyond JEF, I have been engaged in several movements, including the Finnish student movement, party-political activism, and advocacy for environmental protection and climate issues, women’s rights (such as the consent-based definition of rape), and LGBTIQ+ rights.

My academic background is in international law, with a focus on human rights and international criminal law. This expertise I believe would be valuable in the role I am applying for. Over the past 15 years, I have gained extensive leadership experience in youth organisations, which I wish to use in advancing our federalist cause through the Arbitration Board.

My strong familiarity with JEF’s structures and statutory documents stems from years of involvement, including twice contributing to updates of the Code of Conduct and serving as a permanent contact person (2021–2023). In my current Executive Board mandate, I coordinated the drafting of JEF Europe’s new four-year strategy, ensuring all sections could contribute several times throughout the process.

This experience, along with my familiarity with JEF sections and European-level operations, equips me well to support and advise our network effectively in the Advisory Board. I have also contributed to founding and developing new organisations at local, national, and international levels, drafting statutes, and supporting governance processes. Additionally, I have experience in conflict resolution within volunteer-based organisations and have served in supervisory and employer-representative roles on several youth organisation boards. These skills are directly relevant to the AB’s work and seeing the impact of the conclusions on the practical work of the organisation.

I believe the political direction of JEF should be set by the Executive Board and Federal Committee. I see AB’s role as an advisory body and supporting function which ideally will help steering of the JEF ship by the other bodies. As the next mandate will end two years before the European elections, our focus should be on strengthening JEF organisationally and ensuring we have the tools, capacity, and unity to carry out impactful advocacy, engage youth on Europe and federalism, and create meaningful experiences for as many as possible.

@katisyst,

+358 44 3005760, 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katisysta/

I’ve been part of JEF ever since 2017, and I’ve been active in JEF Europe since 2018, and since the Congress in 2019 I’ve been part of the Auditor’s Committee and conducted the internal audits of JEF Europe. I have also taken part in almost all FC meetings and all Congresses ever since. Apart from that, I of course have taken part in numerous JEF events around all of Europe. Thus, I would like to call myself an experienced JEF’er with a lot of knowledge about the finances, processes and rules of JEF Europe.

Alongside my engagement in JEF Europe, I’ve held various local and national positions in JEF Denmark, such as national treasurer for four years and part of the presidency, and I’ve also organised multiple events, such as our Nordic summer camp. Furthermore, I was part of founding Young Europeans in the Nordics and Baltics (YENB).

I have a professional background as financial auditor and worked both as auditor and in a couple of ministries in Denmark and at the EU Commission. Currently I work as finance manager at the Danish Ministry of Resilience and Preparedness.

I’m running for the Arbitration Board now for the first time, after having been part of the Auditor’s Committee for three terms since 2019, as I believe I would have a lot of knowledge and experience to contribute with there in new settings. I believe it’s important that knowledge and experience is shared among the bodies of JEF Europe, and I would like to contribute to that. Further, I believe that the knowledge about many of the issues etc. that I got to know about and investigate during my time as auditor for JEF Europe can be put to good use within the Arbitration Board. And then I of course think it would be also just be really interesting to help shaping JEF from within another body of the organisation. Lastly, I think it will be very beneficial for the Arbitration Board to have a member with knowledge of financial rules and procedures.

We need a JEF where everyone feels heard, respected and, to the extent possible, consulted – and the internal rules set the foundation for that. As part of the Arbitration Board, I want to help ensure that and helt develop the internal rules in a even better way.

On a more political note, I believe JEF needs to have a strong voice on matters related to Security/Defense, Enlargement and Rule of Law – and of course be the young, federalistic voice in these matters. I would especially like us, in JEF, to work more specifically on strengthening our internal network across the sections and our coherence, as I really feel that is what is currently lacking in JEF.

Contact: pw@euro.dk

My JEF journey started over a decade ago with the JEF student section in the small Bavarian university town of Eichstätt. It later led me to become President of JEF Bavaria for two consecutive mandates. After I moved to the Czech Republic, I got involved in the Czech-German partnerships existing within the federalist movement. Finally, I was elected to the Executive Board of JEF Europe in 2021 and had the honour to serve as our organisation’s Treasurer. In the now almost achieved mandate, I was a member of the Federal Committee Presidium.
Aside from JEF, I am a political scientist, philosopher and art historian by training, currently preparing my PhD thesis project on the topic of “Aesthetics and Resistance”.
My passions include federalist thought and its present and future forms.

The rule of law is one of the core principles JEF Europe has always been advocating for. While it is key for the proper and democratic functioning of the EU and its Member States, it is also of prime importance for our internal procedures and organisation.
In this context, it is essential for the AB to be a hundred per cent impartial and solely bound by the Statutes and the Rules of Procedure of JEF Europe.
Moreover, past AB rulings and hesitations within the network have shown that the Statutes of JEF Europe are not entirely clear on some questions, leaving recurring room for competing interpretations and misunderstandings. Therefore, one of my prioprities would be to work with the entire AB on a set of non-binding recommendations for how to improve our Statutes with potential amendments and clarificatory clauses to be presented to the future EB and FC within the next mandate.

JEF Europe needs to firmly assert our core federalist positions, including a clear commitment to a federal Europe, open borders and human rights.
With this, it will also be capable to become a strong voice for world peace, a champion for democracy and equality throughout our continent and beyond as well as an invaluable ally for our friends and partners in other movements.

Hi! My name is Julianne, I am 22 years old, and I have been active in JEF for the past 6 years on both a national and European level. Throughout various roles in JEF Malta, ranging from President to Public Relations Officer, and as a Directly Elected FC Member in JEF Europe I have had the pleasure to participate in a wide range of initiatives and learn about all things JEF. I have had the opportunity to connect with empowered JEFers during seminars and events as well as organise and manage, across all stages of the project lifecycle, projects funded by the European Union that aim to bring youth closer to our Union by promoting civic engagement, sustainability and EU awareness (‘Our Sustainable Europe’, ‘Your Voice, Your Europe’). Within the network, I was also honoured to have organised and led Malta Spring FC 2023 on a national level, an experience which remains a highlight of my time in JEF.

Now based in Dublin, I am also a member of JEF Ireland, where I am enjoying getting involved with the section’s activities and connecting with other young Europeans passionate about shaping the future of our Union. Being part of JEF Ireland allows me to continue contributing to the JEF spirit and values in a new national context while staying engaged with the wider European network.

Beyond JEF, I am currently reading for an MSc in Politics and Data Science at University College Dublin after having completed a BSc in Statistics and Operations Research and Computing Science (which I will formally be graduating in during Congress weekend). Throughout the years, I have also had the honour to participate in initiatives that aim to create a working world that is more youth driven, in areas ranging from EU Careers to nuclear disarmament. I have contributed to mentorship programmes and conferences on gender equality and female empowerment in STEM. I have also worked with the European Personnel Selection Office to bring students and young people closer to the EU and EU Careers as well as the United Nations, on a multilateral level, in nuclear disarmament for a safer, peaceful world. Throughout these experiences, I developed a strong appreciation for good governance, accountability, and the value of structured, transparent management in youth organisations.

Given my practical experience in machine learning and data science, I believe it is crucial for JEF to establish a Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies. This group should focus on developing policies related to generative AI, ethical technology use, and the creation of an AI Toolkit that can guide JEF’s approach to digital innovation and governance. Moreover, the task force should address the pressing challenge of misinformation and disinformation, both online and offline, by promoting digital literacy, fact-checking initiatives, and cross-border collaboration to strengthen democratic resilience.

In addition, I see great potential in creating a dedicated space that builds upon the meaningful work initiated by the Federal Peace Forum (FPF). Such a platform would ensure the continuation and expansion of youth-led initiatives for peace, fostering dialogue, mutual understanding, and sustainable solutions in line with JEF’s commitment to European unity and democracy. By empowering young people to take ownership of peacebuilding processes, we can ensure that FPF’s vision continues to thrive and deliver tangible, positive change across Europe.