European Political Science Society Holds Inaugural Conference in Belfast

The newly formed European Political Science Society (EPSS) is holding its inaugural annual conference at the ICC Belfast from 18–20 June 2026 — a landmark event marking the formal launch of a new not-for-profit, member-led association for political scientists across Europe.

The EPSS was established in June 2025, when the governing council of the former European Political Science Association (EPSA) voted by supermajority to create a new not-for-profit organisation registered in the UK as European Political Science CIC. The transition responded to longstanding calls for reform and greater transparency, given that the previous association was registered to a for-profit company.

The Belfast conference attracted remarkable early interest, with over 2,500 paper proposals submitted — a strong signal of the community's appetite for a member-led model. The programme covers 19 sections spanning Electoral and Voting Behaviour, European and EU Politics, Gender and Sexuality Politics, International Relations, Judicial Politics, Migration Politics, Public Opinion, and Public Policy, among others.

The conference introduces several innovative panel formats designed to foster more dynamic and inclusive scholarly exchange, departing from the traditional setup of previous European political science gatherings. Paper acceptances were communicated by mid-December 2025, with presenters required to register by 13 March 2026.

The EPSS has positioned the event as a milestone in developing a democratic, transparent, and financially accessible home for political science in Europe, with membership fees set to remain as low as possible, particularly for junior scholars.