Its organizational framework paralleled that of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party and included a congress, central committee, secretariat, and regional and local committees.

Membership was common among students (96% at universities, 75% in high schools) but was lower among young people already working (31%).

According to declarations adopted by the congress, the newly refashioned federation would be a voluntary league of independent youth organizations and would not accept direction from any single party, including the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party.

The members of the last KISZ Central Committee, however, filled strategic positions in the economy of the 3rd Hungarian Republic, e.g. Imre Nagy (Caola Inc. CEO), Lajos Csepi (president of the Hungarian Privatization and State Holding Co.), János Gönczi (Malév CEO), Mihály Enyedi-Nagy (founder of Media-ship in 1991), Pál Jendrolovics and Sándor Szórádi (Budapest Investment Inc. CEO), György Szilvásy (Altus Inc. CEO, from 2006 leader of the PM's Office).

The former prime minister of Hungary, Ferenc Gyurcsány, had served as the president of the central committee of the University chapter of KISZ between 1988 and 1989.