From Wikipedia - Reading time: 9 min
| Christian Democratic Youth of Slovakia Kresťanskodemokratická mládež Slovenska | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Adam Bátovský[1] |
| Secretary General | Matúš Lukačka[2] |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Staromestská 596/6D, 81103 Bratislava[3] |
| Membership | 400 (2015)[4] |
| Ideology | Christian democracy[5][6] Conservatism[5] Economic liberalism[5] Pro-Europeanism[4] |
| Position | Centre-right |
| Colours | white, blue, red, black, cyan, purple |
| Mother party | Christian Democratic Movement |
| International affiliation | International Young Democrat Union |
| European affiliation | Youth of the European People's Party |
| Website | kdms.sk |
The Kresťanskodemokratická mládež Slovenska (Christian Democratic Youth of Slovakia) or KDMS is the youth organisation of the conservative Slovak political party, KDH.[5] They share the same ideological platform with the KDH: a centre-right ideology, Christian democracy and economic liberalism.[7][6][8] Membership focuses on young people aged between 15 and 35, while only those between 18 and 30 eligible to candidate for functions.[7]
KDMS claims to be the largest political youth organization in Slovakia with about 300 members in 2009 and 400 members in 2015.[9][4]

The organisation was founded in 1990 as a Voluntary association cooperating since its outsets with the KDH party.[10] The foundation of Christian democratic organisation was supported by first president of KDH, Ján Čarnogurský.[11] In its beginnings, KDMS began with around 20,000 members of the first post-communist generation, with four regional offices.[4] The partnership with KDH has been not formally approved by the party and the youth organisation until 1993, as members of KDMS cooperated with KDH-split party, Christian Social Union (KSÚ) of Ján Klepáč, as well, while KDH cooperating with other youth organisation, Civic Democratic Youth of Slovakia (ODM), too.[6] In 1990s the members of KDMS have criticised then-ruling HZDS party for its autocratic practices.[11]
In 2008, the organisation suffered from the split in KDH and creation of new political party, Conservative Democrats of Slovakia (KDS), as the then-leadership switched for KDS and only 200 members remained in the KDMS.[4] The organisation flourished back again in 2010s, with ca. 400 members in 2015.[4] In 2018, KDMS has criticised the slow progress of the reconstruction of the university dormitories in Slovakia under SMER-SD-led coalition.[12]
KDMS regularly organizes discussions, seminars and conferences, during the summers the main activity is the climb to the Ďumbier peak in Nízke Tatry mountain range, organised as a week-long programme since 1991.[11][4] The aim of the organisation is to educate and aid young people with their professional growth as future leaders.[5] Since 2020, KDMS organizes Political Academy of Women to support young women's interest in politics and Communal Academy for perspective communal politicians.[13]
KDMS holds socially conservative and Christianity-based positions in socio-cultural issues and assumes a definite attitude against left-wing politics.[4] Its public appearance has been described as the projection of religious content into political discourse.[4] It clearly positions itself as centre right-wing association.[6]
Since July 1994, KDMS has been a member of Democrat Youth Community of Europe (European Committee of Youth, DEMYC), after being an associated member since 1991.[4][6] The KDMS is a member of the Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP), an umbrella organisation of Christian Democratic and conservative youth organisations of Europe.[14] It achieved the full membership in 2015.[15] It is also a member of International Young Democrat Union.[16] KDMS closely cooperates with German think-tanks of CDU and CSU, Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Hanns Seidel Foundation.[17]