Empowering Europe's Youth: Volt Europa's Innovative Approach to Political Engagement

Last updated on Tuesday, 03/09/2024

Volt secured a total of five seats in the European Parliament, winning two seats in the Netherlands and three seats in Germany, with over 1.4 million European citizens across 15 countries casting their vote for the Volt vision.

When democratic values are under threat, the active participation of young citizens is crucial for Europe's future. Volt Europa, the first pan-European political party, transcends national politics with a unified platform across all EU member states. 

Founded in 2017, it advocates for progressive policies on climate change, social equality, and innovation. Volt Europa empowers youth to engage in a cohesive movement, strengthening European democracy.

One vision includes elevating citizens' interests and making their voices heard at the heart of decision-making – Brussels. Initiatives like the European Democracy Act aim to create a truly representative, accountable, and transparent system. This includes introducing strict policy programmes to strengthen governance rules for European political parties, such as lobbying regulations, increasing citizens' participation in policymaking, and combating corruption.

In their fight against democratic backsliding, protecting journalists and opposing disinformation and illegal data sharing are important measures for maintaining a transparent political landscape.

An example of a youth network is Volt Violet, a sub-section of Volt Europa that includes young Europeans aged between 12 and 25, advocating for change and a united Europe. While Volt Europa focuses on broad policy issues and political action across the EU, Volt Violet specifically engages the younger generation. By participating in events and educational workshops, young Volters learn about EU policy and actively contribute to shaping the future.

Events such as Q&A sessions with Damian Boeselager, a German Member of the European Parliament and co-founder of Volt Europa, and trips to the European Youth Event in Strasbourg highlight Volt Violet's commitment to youth engagement. With over 250 members from all corners of Europe, the network provides a platform for young people to interact, learn, and grow together.

Efforts to boost citizen participation in the EU include making it easier for citizens to propose policies, lowering the signature requirement for initiatives, and improving online signature collection. This aims to enhance trust and transparency in politics.

To make European elections fairer, there's a push to create a single constituency for the European Parliament. This would allow voters to choose from transnational lists of candidates from various EU countries, with seats allocated based on the total EU-wide vote.

Additionally, mobile EU citizens who have lived in another EU country for at least two years could gain voting rights in both their host and home countries. This dual voting would reflect their engagement in their place of residence and their country of origin, promoting a more inclusive and representative electoral process.

According to the 2024 post-electoral Eurobarometer survey, the trend of increasing youth participation observed in the 2019 elections continued. Young people, particularly those under 25 and aged 25-39, showed significant increases in voter turnout. The overall turnout was notably high, with young voters being a major driving force behind this increase.

This rise in youth engagement reflects their growing awareness and interest in influencing EU policies, particularly on issues like climate change, economic growth, and human rights. The data indicates that young voters are motivated by a sense of civic duty and a belief that their vote can lead to meaningful change.

Beyond voting, young Europeans are also active in various forms of civic engagement. The 2021 Youth Survey that 58% of young people participated in youth organizations over the last year. Additionally, 72% of young people expressed the need for decision-makers to listen more to their demands.

Voices from Volt Europa!

Matthias Iannis Portelli, Vice President of Volt Malta, and Alexandre Guilherme, a key figure in Volt Portugal, describe how Volt Europa is engaging the youth and enhancing democratic accountability.

Volt Europa has actively promoted youth engagement. Matthias explains, "Volt is a young, inclusive, and progressive pan-European party. Our policies and campaigns, guided by our 5+1 policies—Smart State, Social Equality, Economic Renaissance, Global Balance, and Citizen Empowerment—are tailored to address the needs of both the public and member states."

A breakdown from what Portelli is saying: 
A "pan-European" party is a political party that operates across multiple European Union (EU) member states, promoting a unified platform and set of policies that transcend national borders. Unlike traditional national parties that focus on country-specific issues, pan-European parties aim to address continent-wide challenges and represent a broader European identity.

Geographically, a pan-European party is present in multiple EU countries, often with local chapters or branches in each member state. These chapters work together under a common banner and adhere to the same core principles and policies, but they may adapt their strategies to fit local contexts and electoral systems.

Volt Europa has established a presence in numerous EU countries, including but not limited to Germany, France, Italy, Malta, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden.

Portelli advocates for lowering the voting age to 16 across the EU, establishing a European Citizen Assembly, and making the Conference on the Future of Europe a permanent feature. Lowering the voting age to 16 would engage young people in politics earlier, ensuring their voices are considered in decision-making processes on issues that directly affect them, such as education and climate change. 

Establishing a European Citizen Assembly would create a body of randomly selected citizens from across the EU to discuss and recommend policies, enhancing the legitimacy and responsiveness of EU institutions. Making the Conference on the Future of Europe permanent would ensure ongoing dialogue and continuous citizen involvement in shaping the EU's future.

Guilherme captures the essence of Volt by having opportunities for personal growth and political engagement it offers to young people. "By onboarding new members, translating the program, and contributing to political strategy, I’m trying to empower young people to speak up in an informed, coherent, and serious way." 

He emphasises the importance of cross-border collaboration, pointing to an upcoming event in July between Volt Portugal and Volt España at the border. "Cross-border collaboration isn't just digital. It's unfortunate that the European Elections are essentially 27 separate elections to the European Parliament. We should be debating, campaigning, and forming transnational lists together, embracing all things European." This view is shared by Volt branches across Europe, including in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Portelli and Guilherme emphasise Volt’s dedication to democratic reforms. Portelli advocates for a permanent citizen's assembly in Malta, promoting the creation of transnational parties, and pushing for electoral reforms to improve transparency and accountability. Despite not achieving the desired local results in the EU elections, Volt Luxembourg remains optimistic and proud of their accomplishments. They express gratitude to their supporters, whose belief in Volt’s vision fuels their progress.

Similar parties with goals of promoting democratic reforms and transparency include DiEM25 (Democracy in Europe Movement 2025), a pan-European political movement focused on democratic reforms, transparency, and tackling economic inequalities, and the European Green Party, which focuses on environmental issues, social justice, and democratic reforms across Europe. 

Volt secured a total of five seats in the European Parliament, winning two seats in the Netherlands and three seats in Germany, with over 1.4 million European citizens across 15 countries casting their vote for the Volt vision.
 

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Young Journalists in Europe - Meet the author

Emma Brownrigg
Hello! I'm Emma Brownrigg Fenech, an 18-year-old studying journalism from Malta. Raised by political discussions, I've forged a deep interest in societal change. Presently, I serve as the Vice-President of my college. In 2022, I made my parliamentary debut. I eagerly anticipate engaging in global dialogue. Journalism and politics aside I enjoy rock and metal music. My commitment remains steadfast—to utilise media as a catalyst for meaningful societal transformation.

This article reflects the views of the authors only. The European Commission and Eurodesk cannot be held responsible for it.