Jongerenorganisatie Vrijheid en Democratie (Netherlands)

The Young Organisation for Freedom and Democracy (Dutch: Jongerenorganisatie Vrijheid en Democratie, JOVD) is a Dutch political youth organization affiliated with the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), though it formally operates independently. The JOVD focuses on political education, advocacy, and the promotion of liberal principles among young people.

The JOVD was founded on 15 February 1949 by a group of young liberals who sought to create a platform for political engagement and ideological development. Since its creation, the organization has served as an incubator for liberal thought, contributing to the revitalization and expansion of the liberal movement in the Netherlands.

Former members of the JOVD include Mark Rutte (Former Prime-Minister of the Netherlands, currently Secretary-General of NATO), Hans Wiegel (Former VVD party leader), Johan Remkes (Former Minister of Home Affairs) etc.

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The JOVD aims to:

• Foster political and societal awareness among youth.
• Promote and develop liberal ideas and policy proposals.
• Serve as a bridge between young people and political institutions.
• Facilitate political education, debate, and networking opportunities.

Although ideologically aligned with the VVD, the JOVD maintains formal independence, enabling it to adopt positions that may diverge from official party policy.

The JOVD identifies with both classical and social liberalism, emphasizing core values such as individual freedom, economic responsibility, and personal development. It advocates for a small, efficient government, free markets, international cooperation, and the protection of civil rights. The JOVD often adopts progressive liberal positions, especially concerning climate policy, education reform, and digital privacy rights.

The JOVD is structured as an association with a national umbrella body and 18 local chapters across the Netherlands. The General Assembly (Algemene Ledenvergadering, ALV) is the highest decision-making authority, while the Executive Board (Hoofdbestuur, HB) oversees daily operations.

Internationally, the JOVD maintains active relationships with liberal youth organizations such as the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) and the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC).

The International Secretariat of the JOVD is a team of dedicated members responsible for managing the organization’s international affairs. This includes maintaining relationships with international liberal youth organizations, organizing events abroad, arranging international traineeships, and representing the JOVD in global liberal platforms.

Photo	Name	Role	Background Summary
	Friso van Gruijthuijsen LinkedIn – Instagram – Email	International Officer	Friso studies econometrics, is a member of the Dutch Navy's reserves and is a representative in the local district council (Kralingen). In his free time, he loves to read about international relations, travel and eat good food. He is passionate about learning languages, though he lacks the time to actually improve his Duolingo status.
	Guido von Backer LinkedIn – Instagram	Training & Development	Guido is an International Corporate Tax Lawyer. He was the Vice Chair of the West Wing (youth think tank of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Furthermore, he has advocated for youth and student rights in several positions and organisations, primarily focusing on education. Guido is honoured to be a continuous part of facilitating the connection between all liberals and like-minded people.
	Sebas Overbeek LinkedIn – Instagram	Politics (LYMEC)	Sebas studies International Relations & Organizations and Law at Leiden University. Besides studying, he likes to debate, was active in several debating contests and enjoys engaging in conversations to find a way to realize change. In the middle of the night, you can wake him up to discuss liberalism (with or without a beer).
	Amparito Sanders LinkedIn – Instagram	International Traineeship	Amparito works as a marketing specialist at a marketing agency. Growing up in a bicultural family, where Dutch and Mexican traditions were equally valued and embraced, Amparito developed a deep appreciation for diversity. Next year Amparito will help organise our international traineeship, providing JOVD members with the opportunity to explore a region far from the Netherlands.
	Kristen Beukers LinkedIn – Instagram	Communications	My name is Kristen and this year I will be in charge of our social media communications via our socials, ranging from promoting our international opportunities to political statements. Besides politics and the JOVD, I also like to row, cook and bake and make plans with friends. I’m looking forward to this second year of being a member of the international secretariat and I can’t wait to meet all the new people at congresses.
	Lennart Kerkvliet LinkedIn – Instagram	Secretary	Lennart has studied Data Science at the University of Amsterdam. He currently works for a Berlin based start-up. Where he develops graphic design and animation applications. As our secretary, he shares as much a passion for the statutes of IFLRY and LYMEC as he does for technology and entrepreneurship.
	Hugo Beishuizen LinkedIn – Instagram	Politics (IFLRY)	Hugo studies International Relations and Organizations at Leiden University. He was raised in France, bringing with him an ever-lasting appreciation of everything that is French. He is passionate about politics, debating and will never hesitate to watch or play a sports game.
	Erwin Sikkes LinkedIn	International Events	Erwin studies International Relations at the University of Groningen. He was born and raised in Friesland, a picturesque region with 11 cities. Combining a chapter board with the international committee, he certainly knows how to create amazing events. He is six feet and has blue eyes, but he assures us he “does not have a trust fund”.
	Bodine Kornman LinkedIn – Instagram	International Events	Bodine studies law at Leiden University, with an interest in European Law, Public International Law, and data and tech. She is known for her uncanny ability to dissect personalities—whether through tests or unsolicited psychoanalysis. In her free time, she enjoys playing golf, cooking, reading, and going to the gym. She also has the masochistic habit of occasionally cramming French vocabulary.