The president vows to make the European Economic and Social Committee a go-to institution for democratic dialogue and open its doors to the EU accession countries.

The EESC has elected Austria's Oliver Röpke as the 34th president in its 65-year history. Former head of the Brussels office of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB), and the most recent president of the EESC Workers' Group, Mr Röpke will lead the EU body representing organised civil society for the next two and a half years.

Joining him at the helm of the EESC are Polish member Krzysztof Pater, as vice-president for the budget, and Romanian member Aurel Laurenţiu Plosceanu, as vice-president for communication. With the EESC presidency changing halfway through the term of office, Mr Röpke takes over from his fellow Austrian, Christa Schweng, who led the EESC through the first half of its 2020–2025 mandate.

An advocate for workers' rights, Mr Röpke is determined to consolidate the EESC's role as a forum for dialogue between a wide range of actors, playing a key part in shaping EU policies and restoring citizens' trust in the EU project.

"Over the next term, I will step up the unique role of the EESC as an interface between citizens, civil society and EU institutions, acting as a true platform for honest and inclusive debate. I will reach out to our partners in the Western Balkans and Eastern neighbourhood to foster closer cooperation and engage with youth to make sure we are building the future they want to live in – inclusive, prosperous and democratic", the president said.

For his presidency, Mr Röpke has chosen the motto "Stand up for democracy, speak up for Europe". The four pillars of his programme – the Manifesto - embody his vision of a more social and representative Europe, which also reaches out to its neighbours to help them pave the way towards a more stable and peaceful future. The pillars are standing up for democracy at home and abroad and speaking up for Europe by making the EESC more representative and by strengthening the quality of the EESC's outreach and its forward-looking work.

The Manifesto includes a list of actions that the new president intends to implement during his mandate. Among others, they include appointing Honorary Enlargement Members from EU accession countries to involve them in the EESC's daily advisory work, and a robust participation of the EESC in campaigns and activities to increase voter participation in the 2024 European elections. The focus will also be on involving citizens, in particular young people, in the EU through citizen panels and other forms of participation. (ll)