🙌 Thank you for your application for the #ProgressivesSpeakUp School 2026
Hello,
On behalf of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Group in the European Committee of the Regions, we would like to sincerely thank you for applying to this year’s #ProgressivesSpeakUp: School of Young Politicians 2026.
We would like to inform you that while you were not selected in the first round, your application has been placed on our waitlist. Should any spots become available, we’ll be happy to reach out to you for the next step in the process.
We received a large number of excellent applications, and with only a limited number of spots available, the decision was not an easy one.
However, we are excited to share that new opportunities are ahead, and we’d love for you to stay engaged with the PES Group!
📢 Join now our network of young progressive local and regional leaders!
More than 700 young leaders from all over Europe are already part of it. Now it's your turn! In this first email, we would like to give you a flavour of our activities.
Events and debates
Each year, we bring together our members and progressive local and regional politicians from across the EU and we often invite young leaders like you to contribute, share ideas, and exchange experiences.
We truly value your engagement and encourage you to stay active and connected with the PES Group to be the first to hear about new calls, events, and selection rounds.
There will also be opportunities for Young Elected Politicians (YEPs) to attend plenary sessions and thematic commission meetings of the European Committee of the Regions. Stay tuned for new initiatives that will be shared soon!
Join the Network of Regional and Local EU Councillors
Apply to be part of the network managed by the European Committee of the Regions. Take this opportunity to stay updated with European laws, funding programmes and debates.
📲Social media and newsletter
Follow, share your experience and activities as young politicians, and tag us on:
- Instagram @pes_cor
- Twitter: @PES_CoR
- Facebook: PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions
- Linkedin: PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions
We launched various channels to ensure closer contact with, and among, young progressive local and regional leaders.
Share with us your #ProgressiveLocalStories!
You can also be a protagonist of our progressive local story by sharing how you promote progressive values in your city or region. Across Europe, local leaders are showing how progressive actions make housing a human right, end violence against women, and make Europe an LGBTIQ+ freedom zone.
Find out about them and take a look at the current campaigns that we are running.
Through our #ProgressiveLocalStories initiative, we highlight these inspiring examples, exchange best practices, and foster dialogue among progressives. Do you have a story to share? This is your chance to put your town, city, or region in the spotlight — we’d love to hear from you at pes-group@cor.europa.eu.
If you have further questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to contact us.
Together, let's make Europe more progressive, starting form our cities and regions!
The PES Group Secretariat
Vanessa Paget
Isabella Galimi