Young representatives elected to Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum leadership

On 28 April 2026, elections were held for the leadership of the Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum (BSRYF), selecting a new Chair, members of the Committee of Youth Representatives (CYR), and youth organisations to join the Steering Group. The newly elected representatives will serve a one-year term beginning on 1 July 2026.

The BSRYF is a regional platform that enables young people aged 16-29 to engage in political dialogue and contribute to decision-making across the Baltic Sea Region. It brings together youth representatives from across the region to strengthen cooperation, exchange perspectives, and ensure that young people's voices are reflected in regional policy discussions, including within the framework of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS).

A total of 45 individual candidates and five youth organisations stood for election this year, including eight candidates for the position of Chair. Candidates represented all CBSS member states except Iceland, with participants aged between 16 and 27. The candidate pool included 21 women and 24 men. The organisations standing for election were based in Germany, Poland, Finland and Sweden.

Chair of the BSRYF (2026-2027)

Nathalie Bews from Germany has been elected Chair of the BSRYF for the 2026-2027 term. She will lead the work of the BSRYF and presides over meetings of the Committee of Youth Representatives.

Committee of Youth Representatives (CYR) (2026-2027)

The CYR serves as the main decision-making and working body of the BSRYF, responsible for its day-to-day activities and implementation of its priorities. The following members were elected:

• Noora Soininvaara (Finland)
• Tom Teske (Germany)
• Eemeli Tuominen (Finland)
• Ellen Bang (Denmark)
• Emīls Bergs (Latvia)
• Daniel Bang-Hansen (Denmark)
• Zofia Górska (Poland)
• Norina Pommerening (Germany)
• Milena Mensching (Germany)
• Mateusz Pisański (Poland)
• Märten Koll (Estonia)
• Austėja Bartkevičiūtė (Lithuania)
• Hanna Skoczowska (Poland)

They will be joined by reconducted members continuing their mandate:

• Pola Zabuska (Belgium)
• Tom Matzen (Germany)
• Nathalie Bews (Germany)
• Nikola Lewicka (Poland)
• Justus Ferdinand August (Germany)
• Lando Rehse (Germany)
• Kyriakos Kourtidis (Poland)

Steering Group organisations (2026-2027)

The Steering Group provides strategic guidance for the development and direction of the BSRYF. The following organisations were elected:

• Regional Youth Council of Schleswig-Holstein (Germany)
• The Finnish National Youth Council and Youth Sector (Finland)

The newly elected leadership will guide the work of the BSRYF over the coming year, contributing to regional cooperation and ensuring that youth perspectives continue to inform policy discussions across the Baltic Sea Region.