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Articles from 2024

Black box Europe: What does an MEP, Damian Boeselager, do?
Damian Boeselager talks about his work in Brussels and his plans for a possible second term. He negotiated constitutional issues, asylum and migration policy, the budget, the economy and industry and energy issues. His favourite projects include the EU Data Act and the EU Talent Pool. In the future he wants to abolish the unanimity principle to make the EU more democratic. (Watson, 27.03.2024)

European elections: "I would abolish the European asylum system"
Osama Kezzo fled Syria and is now a integration and migration helper at Caritas in Germany and counsels refugees. His main focus as a candidate for the European elections is "a more humane asylum policy”, because the “current asylum reform violates human rights and is very inhumane”. (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 25.03.2024)

Sophie in 't Veld: Viktor Orbán will not be in power forever, the future will be brighter
Sophie in 't Veld, MEP criticises Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for the historic low in EU relations under his government, including the rule of law case. She asks if "we really have to accept that all the work we put into [EU-]accession [in 2004] was in vain? - "No, we cannot accept that”, she concludes and believes things will get better in a Hungary after Orban. (RTL Hungary, 19.03.2024)

Smart City head of department: "City must adapt to its citizens"
Maral Koohestanian, in charge of the Department for Smart City, Europe and Public Order in Wiesbaden since July 2023, talked in an interview about her first experiences in office, digitalisation and Smart City. (Wiesbadener Kurier, 11.03.2024)

Volt, the political party that is reinventing the rules of the European game in the Czech Republic too
In a portrait about Volt Czechia, Slavomir Manasek, member of the Volt Europa, explains: "Volt's ambition is therefore to show that more European cooperation is needed to find solutions.“ (Radio Prague International, 11.03.2024)

Andromachi Sophocleous: We cannot be whole without the Turkish Cypriots
Andromachi Sophocleous, co-chair of Volt Cyprus and candidate for the European Parliament election is proud of the wholehearted desire expressed in Volt Cyprus constitution itself wanting a united, federal Cyprus, with political equality. Volt is the first bicommunal party in Cyprus. (Cyprus Mirror, 10.03.2024)

'Putin is laughing his ass off,' says Laurens Dassen (Volt) on European divisions
More European unity is acutely needed when it comes to security, according to Laurens Dassen, Volt Nederland leader and member of the Dutch parliament since 2021. “We are in a dangerous situation because it is far from certain that Putin will stop at Ukraine.” (NRC, 06.03.2024)

EU election in Austria: "Over half a million people excluded"
EU citizens with main residence in Austria must have submitted an application for a voter register by March 26th. As many people were unaware of this, over half a million people did not vote in 2019. Volt Österreich wants to change this and has launched a new website with all the information needed to register: www.voteurope.eu. (Kronen Zeitung, 03.03.2024)

Eileen O'Sullivan: "We need a cultural change in the city administration"
Head of Department Eileen O'Sullivan warns of a collapse in Frankfurt's offices and calls for more flexible working time models, better pay and a much stronger focus on digitalisation, she says in an interview. (Frankfurter Rundschau, 29.02.2024)

Two years into Russia’s war against Ukraine: geopolitical reality check and war fatigue
On the 2nd anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Co-Lead of Volt Ukraine, Anastasiia Vozovych writes about the fear she felt on the day of the invasion, the reality of war fatigue, and the future of Ukraine in the EU. (Brussels Morning, 24.02.2024)

Belgian party system designed to keep newcomers out, Dutch MEP warns
New parties joining the Belgian political system face an uphill battle to establish themselves alongside well-funded and already-established groups, MEP Sophie in 't Veld, running with Volt Belgium, said in an interview. (Euractiv, 21.02.2024)

Adopting the Euro is a test of whether we are serious about the EU
20 years after Czechia entered the EU, politicians still hesitate to support the adoption of Euro and find support within the population, writes Slavomir Manasek, Non-executive board member of Volt Europa, in Seznam. It provides some ideas how to reorient public discussion and forge a political alliance to achieve this important step in European integration. (seznam, 20.02.2024)

Lucia Kleštincová will lead the newly founded party Volt Slovakia in the European elections
Volt Slovensko has been registered as a political party, the 20th inside of Volt Europa. According to Lucia Klestincova, the candidate list represents a picture of the diversity of their country in terms of the generations, regions, genders, communities and professions represented. (rtv Správy, 14.02.2024)

Cármen Anacleto Sonnberger, Volt Portugal candidate for the European constituency
Cármen Sonnberger is Volt Portugal's candidate for the 2024 European Parliamentary elections and also third on the list of candidates for the European Parliament elections for Volt Austria. "My dual candidacy is only possible with a pan-European party, which allows me to participate in the political life of Portugal and Austria at the same time.” (gazeta Lusófona, 13.02.2024)

The founding General Assembly of Volt Slovakia will take place on Saturday, the membership will elect their chairmen
Right before the founding General Assembly of Volt Slovensko Lucia Klestincova said: “Slovakia needs a radically new quality of politics based on expertise, openness and humanity. Our politics has utterly failed in its ability to be a platform for value-based leadership of European calibre.” Co-President Rick Zedník highlights that a “whole generation of Slovakians who consider themselves Europeans is demanding modern and open political leadership.” (SITA, 31.01.2024)

Demonstrators set an example for a "colourful" Europe
Volt Germany invites people to a demonstration against right-wing populism, while having a national party conference in Unna. Rebekka Müller, one of the lead candidates for the European elections, explained: "Under no circumstances am I prepared to leave this country to far-right forces. That's why we have to speak up NOW!" (Hellweger Anzeiger, 21.01.2024)

'We as Volt want asylum seekers to be given decent accommodation'
In an interview Laurens Dassen, Volt Nederland leader and member of the Dutch parliament since 2021, speaks about possible EU members, Volts achievements as well as the future coalition in the Netherlands, which should be “European, social and green” and “never […] with the PVV”. (De Kanttekening, 19.01.2024)

Volt wants to invest in wages, railways, housing and healthy food
Mobility is another one of the issues listed by the Volt Portugal candidate in the electoral programme, defending plans for railways. (Renascença, 13.01.2024)

CDU and SPD want to make it more difficult for splinter groups to enter town halls
Volt calls it an "attack on local democracy" and an attempt by the CDU and SPD to "deprive their critics in local parliaments of their basis for existence", says Martin Huber, parliamentary group leader of Volt in Frankfurt's Römer. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 06.01.2024)

These MEPs see threats to the EU in 2024, but also huge opportunities
MEP Sophie in 't Veld emphasised when asked about the biggest challenges facing the EU: "We have to stop sleepwalking and take responsibility", “not just because there are threats […] but there are also huge opportunities for Europe." (EenVandaag, 04.01.2024)

5 ideas for the next European Parliament #1 Fiscal justice
Volt Europa Co-President Francesca Romana D'Antuono presents the first of 5 ideas for the next European Parliament, together with former Co-President of Volt Italia Gianluca Guerra. In this article about fiscal justice. (FACE Magazine, 03.01.2024)