FUEN Assembly of Delegates elects new leadership – Olivia Schubert becomes new President

The third day of the 69th FUEN Congress in Bozen / Bulsan / Bolzano was dedicated to the second part of the Assembly of Delegates, the organisation’s highest decision-making body. The session focused on the election of FUEN’s new leadership and on key decisions shaping the organisation’s direction for the next term.

After the approval of the electoral procedure and the appointment of the Election Board, the candidates for the positions of FUEN President (Jens A. Christiansen, Olivia Schubert, Gösta Toft), Vice Presidents, Auditors and Members of FUEN’s European Dialogue Forum (EDF) introduced themselves to the delegates. In their short presentations, they outlined their professional background, priorities and vision for FUEN’s future.

Following the presentations, the delegates proceeded to the elections. After the votes were counted, Olivia Schubert from the National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary (Landesselbstverwaltung der Ungarndeutschen, LdU) was elected as FUEN President for the 2025–2028 term, receiving 180 of 260 valid votes.

In addition to the presidential election, the delegates also elected the new FUEN Vice Presidents, confirming

• Bahne Bahnsen (Friisk Foriining e.V., Germany),
• Sterica Fudulea (Armãn Community from Romania),
• Nabi Ibraimtzik (Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe),
• Hartmut Leipner (Domowina – Zwězk Łužyskich Serbow / Zwjazk Łužiskich Serbow – Union of Lusatian Sorbs, Germany)
• Harald Stauder (South Tyrolean People’s Party, Italy), and
• Balázs Tárnok (Hungarian Alliance – Magyar Szövetség – Maďarská Aliancia, Slovakia).

The newly elected FUEN Presidium reflects FUEN’s linguistic and geographical diversity, ensuring broad representation across Europe’s minority communities. Louis Albert-Becker, President of the Youth of European Nationalities (YEN), remains part of the FUEN Presidium as a permanent representative of YEN.

The Assembly of Delegates also elected the new members of the European Dialogue Forum (EDF), FUEN’s advisory body that connects the organisation with European and international institutions. The elected members are:

• Mag. Josef Buranits (Croatian Cultural Association in Burgenland, Austria),
• Jens A. Christiansen (South Schleswig Association, Germany),
• Sterica Fudulea (Armãn Community from Romania),
• Bernard Gaida (Association of German Social-Cultural Societies in Poland),
• Volodymyr Leysle (Council of Germans of Ukraine),
• Olivia Schubert (National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary), and
• Gösta Toft (Federation of Germans in Northern Schleswig, Denmark).

The Assembly also confirmed Hans Christian Bock and Horst Schneider as FUEN Auditors, continuing their mandate to oversee the organisation’s financial transparency and accountability.

In addition to the elections, the delegates decided on the venues of the upcoming FUEN Congresses:

• The 70th FUEN Congress (2026) will take place in Helsinki, Finland (host organisation: Swedish Assembly of Finland, Folktinget).
• The 71st FUEN Congress (2027) will be held in the Istrian Region of Slovenia (host organisation: Italian Union / Unione Italiana).

The Assembly also reviewed membership applications, approving several new organisations and changes in membership status, further expanding FUEN’s network, which currently unites more than 100 organisations representing Europe’s traditional national and linguistic minorities.

Three organisations were admitted as new associate members of FUEN:

• The National Self-Government of Ukrainians in Hungary (UOÖ)
• Roma Party Association “Pro Europa” (Asociația Partida Romilor Pro-Europa), Romania
• Heimatverein Seelter Buund e. V. (Seelter Buund), Germany

One organisation was admitted as a new supporting member:

• Central Council of Yenish in Germany (Zentralrat der Jenischen in Deutschland e. V.)

In addition, the Assembly approved two changes in membership status:

• The Friulian Philological Society (Società Filologica Friulana) from Italy was upgraded from supporting to associate membership.
• The Radgenossenschaft der Landstrasse from Switzerland was upgraded from associate to ordinary membership.

The FUEN Presidium has also accepted Měto Nowak and Karl-Peter Schramm as individual supporting members of FUEN.

In addition, the Assembly received a short update on the preparations for EUROPEADA, the European football championship of autochthonous national minorities, which will take place in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy) in 2028.

The meeting concluded with the first address by Olivia Schubert as FUEN President. She thanked the delegates for their trust and expressed appreciation toward her fellow candidates, both of whom will continue their involvement in FUEN as members of the European Dialogue Forum. Schubert also extended her gratitude to the outgoing Presidium, recalling “many transitions and challenges that we have overcome together”, and assured the FUEN member organisations: “I am certain that we will continue to stand united in the years ahead and do everything we can to represent your interests.”

The 69th FUEN Congress ended on Saturday evening with a cultural programme dedicated to exploring the heritage of South Tyrol’s German- and Ladin-speaking communities.

FUEN extends its sincere gratitude to the South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP), Deputy Governor Daniel Alfreider and the Autonomous Province Bozen/Bolzano – South Tyrol for their hospitality and support, as well as to the German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and the Hungarian Bethlen Gábor Alapkezelő (BGA) for their continuous partnership. Special thanks also go to the team of the Hotel Four Points by Sheraton Bolzano for their excellent organisation and warm assistance throughout the event, in particular to Yanik Wiedmer, Group & Event Coordinator, for his outstanding commitment and tireless work.